England take on table leaders New Zealand

July 6 (CRICKETNMORE) - England will be aiming to carry their dominance in recent Twenty20 Internationals over New Zealand into an upcoming series of the ICC Women’s Championship starting on Saturday as they look to move up from their fourth position on the points table.

England defeated New Zealand three times in a recent T20I tri-series also featuring South Africa, including a seven-wicket victory in the final. The challenge for them will be to replicate that kind of effort in the upcoming series of the eight-team tournament, in which New Zealand are at the top of the table with 10 points from six matches, ahead of Australia on net run-rate. Pakistan are in third place.

In earlier series of the ICC Women’s Championship, England lost 1-2 to Australia and defeated South Africa 2-1, while New Zealand beat Pakistan 2-1 and completed a 3-0 win over the West Indies to move up the points table.

England captain Heather Knight does not think the T20I supremacy will give any advantage to her team over New Zealand but the performances definitely give the team confidence.

The second edition of the ICC Women’s Championship is the pathway to qualification for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2021 in New Zealand. Hosts New Zealand and the three other top sides from this tournament will qualify for the World Cup while the remaining four sides will get another chance through the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier.

For league standings click here; for tournament statistics click here

Series schedule:
7 July – 1st ODI, Headingley
10 July – 2nd ODI, Derby
13 July– 3rd ODI, Leicester

The squads:

England: Heather Knight (captain), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Katie George, Jenny Gunn, Alex Hartley, Amy Jones, Laura Marsh, Anya Shrubsole, Natalie Sciver, Sarah Taylor, Lauren Winfield, Danni Wyatt.

New Zealand: Suzie Bates (captain), Bernadine Bezuidenhout, Sophie Devine, KE Ebrahim, Maddy Green, Holly Huddleston, Hayley Jensen, Leigh Kasperek, Amelia Kerr, Katey Martin, Anna Peterson, Hannah Rowe, Amy Satterthwaite, Lea Tahuhu, Jess Watkin.

ICC Media Release