Sophia Dunkley put ‘tough’ times behind her to lead England closer to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup semi-finals with a 38-run win over Scotland.
Dunkley, who replaced injured captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, was dropped three times on the way to 57 as England set Scotland a mammoth total at Headingley.
Freya Kemp and Dani Gibson then hit a flurry of late boundaries in a 61-run partnership from just 21 balls to help England to 200 for the second time in the tournament.
A positive start to Scotland’s chase soon gave way to steady England wickets as Sophie Ecclestone picked up her 150th wicket in T20 internationals.
“It was great to get back out there on the pitch,” Dunkley said. “Obviously, we are wishing Nat all the best and want her to get out there as quick as possible, but it was great to be out there and most importantly get the win for England.
“It is never nice [not to play], it is always disappointing and – with it being a home World Cup – you would bite your arm off to go and play for England out there. It has been a little bit tough, but we have got an amazing squad and a lot of depth, and it is a great squad to try to get into.”
Having chosen to bowl, Scotland got off to a great start as Kirstie Gordon, who played for England at the 2018 World Cup, opened the bowling against her former side and dismissed Amy Jones first ball.
That brought Dunkley to the crease and she lived nine lives, first being dropped by Priyanaz Chatterji on four from 10 balls, as the all-rounder put down a difficult diving grab. That freed Dunkley up and she crashed the first six of the game three balls later, before ending the powerplay on 43 from 25.
Danni Wyatt-Hodge was out for seven from the very next ball as Gordon picked up one of her easiest wickets. The spinner had the chance for more in the over, but Dunkley was put down on 43 by Katherine Fraser and then 45 by Megan McColl in the space of two balls.
Dunkley reached her 50 off 33 balls before she eventually departed for 57, as Hannah Rainey held on to a catch in the deep off the bowling of Kathryn Bryce.
Rainey, who was only in Scotland’s squad as an injury replacement, then bowled Alice Capsey for 40 from 25 balls to pin England back to 110 for four. Gordon was back in the game again as she took the catch to dismiss Heather Knight for 25 Chatterji’s first wicket of the tournament. However, the former England player then conceded 21 runs off her final over to see her figures slide to two for 30.
Dunkley added: “She [Kirstie] was a pretty fiery character on the pitch, I thought she bowled really well. She bowled really tight lines, she was quite hard to hit at the start of the game.
Dani Gibson (30 not out) and Freya Kemp (39 not out) provided late power-hitting to boost England’s total.
Scotland started the only way they could, attacking England and they moved to 32 without loss at the end of the third over. However, Fraser tried one shot too many and was bowled by stand-in captain Charlie Dean for 23 from 13.
Scotland were one run ahead of England at the end of the powerplay but England’s Sophie Ecclestone made an immediate impact to bowl Kathryn Bryce for six and earn her 150th T20I wicket.
Ecclestone (2/23) had another as she bowled Darcey Carter for 29 as the opener fell short of her batting heroics against the Windies, and Scotland slipped to 64 for three.
Kemp and Gibson combined again as the former caught Megan McColl off the bowling of the latter, before Gibson pocketed Sarah Bryce on the boundary for 34 and Kemp got the wicket of Chatterji.
Pippa Sproul and Gordon put on 47 for the seventh wicket but Scotland fell short of their goal as England edge towards the semi-finals.
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