Alice Capsey opens England's T20 summer with a magnificent seven-wicket win

England Women 140-3 beat New Zealand Women 136-7 by seven wickets

England Women showed all round class and composure to secure a seven-wicket win over New Zealand Women and get their T20 summer off to the perfect start.

With Alice Capsey taking to opening the batting in the format for the first time like a duck to water, and with the irresistible Freya Kemp for company, England began their T20 World Cup tune up with a bang.

Capsey’s 74 not out from 51 balls was exactly what stand-in skipper Charlie Dean wanted from the 140-run chase after choosing to bowl first at Derby.

While Kemp’s 31 not out from 21 balls was easy on the eye and heavy on the quality strokeplay to produce an unbroken partnership of 64 to send England 1-0 up in the three match Vitality IT20 series with two to play.

Determined to make a fast start in the T20 series, Lauren Bell couldn’t have been any quicker than to open the game with a wicket from the very first ball, clean bowling Georgia Plimmer.

At the other end Linsey Smith was a miserly threat, removing White Ferns skipper Melie Kerr for just eight when she failed to clear Bell at mid-off, and conceding just 10 runs from her four overs.

From 13-2, New Zealand fought back strongly through the slog-sweeping power of Sophie Devine who cleared the leg side ropes four times in her 45 from just 22 balls until all rounder Dani Gibson produced a beauty to clip the bail as it beat Devine’s bat.

It was a huge moment in the innings and took the wind out of New Zealand’s sails before Maddy Green and Izzy Sharp added a handy 36 for the sixth wicket and gave the visitors a total to defend, but 136-7 just wasn’t enough to stop the home side who showcased their quality in all three departments of the game.

England Women v New Zealand Women Vitality IT20 Series

Wednesday May 20: 1st Vitality IT20, England Women won by seven wickets - County Ground, Derby

Saturday May 23: 2nd Vitality IT20, England Women v New Zealand Women, St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury

Monday May 25: 3rd Vitality IT20, England Women v New Zealand Women, The County Ground, Hove