“We really wanted to do is run well between the wickets’- Nat Sciver-Brunt after crucial win over South Africa

England Women defeated South Africa Women in a pivotal Group B match of the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 at Sharjah. The combination of Danielle Wyatt-Hodge and Nat Sciver-Brunt was the primary factor in England’s victory. Sciver-Brunt revealed that a crucial element in England’s victory was their dashing between the wickets.

England struggled early in their 125-run chase, scoring just 28 runs at one wicket loss during the powerplay. The combination of Sciver-Brunt and Wyatt-Hodge swung the tide of the match in England’s favour with the score at 55/2. With four balls remaining, Hodge (43) and Brunt (48*) combined for a 64-run partnership that enabled the side win by seven wickets.

“We were obviously a little bit behind schedule when I got to the middle, but I felt that if Danni and I stuck together and formed a team, things would work out extremely nicely. The plan, according to Sciver-Brunt in the press conference after the game, was to “run really well between the wickets, knowing that boundaries are quite hard to hit on that wicket and the importance of running 2’s, and then manoeuvring fielders out of the way so that you can get into a gap a bit easier.”

She has spent the entire two innings feeling really frustrated: Nat Sciver-Brunt

Wyatt-Hodge was commended by Sciver-Brunt for his ability to adjust to various situations and contribute to the team’s success. Brunt disclosed that her teammate is annoyed because, although she is accustomed to playing fast-paced innings, she needs to regulate her innings in light of the circumstances.

It’s funny because she’s been really frustrated for both innings and is probably accustomed to scoring 70 runs off of 40, but the crucial innings she plays for us are crucial, and her ability to hit the ball in places that nobody else can truly make it difficult to bowl, even under these circumstances. Thus, maybe, she can carry on like that without being overly irritated,” she continued.

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The spinners for England, especially Sophie Ecclestone, were instrumental in limiting South Africa’s innings. Ecclestone’s 2/15 in four overs was a crucial contribution to keeping the opposition to a score that could be chased. Sciver-Brunt recognized Ecclestone’s versatility as a bowler at any point in the innings.