With ten overs remaining, England easily defeated Scotland by ten wickets, taking the lead in Group B. They improved their Net Rate considerably due to their enormous victory margin, virtually guaranteeing a spot in the semifinals.
Scotland, batting first, got off to a steady start, with Sarah Bryce hitting the odd boundary. Nevertheless, Saskia Horley was pinned down, and the scoring rate was restrained by Lauren Bell and Sophie Ecclestone, who gave up only two runs in their opening overs.
Bryce punted the ball straight to mid-off, taking off for a single, and survived a run-out opportunity to keep the scoreboard moving. Scotland scored 29 goals against 0 to close a fairly dull PowerPlay.
Horley holed out to Ecclestone in the ninth over at mid-off, ending her ordeal. Bryce hit a stunning inside-out shot off Sarah Glenn at the other end that raced to the boundary.
However, another lack of activity from Charlie Dean meant that the Scots would have to pursue Ecclestone. They took a risk by doing so because Bryce was a left-arm spinner. Then, with a slog-sweep over mid-wicket, right-handed batter Ailsa Lister scored Scotland’s first six of the T20 World Cup.
Shortly afterward, Lorna Jack-Brown was dismissed for a duck in her final international match, and England defeated Lister. Before Dean castled Bryce, the bowler struck two quick boundaries, and Darcey Carter fell to Ecclestone, giving the bowler her second wicket of the match.
The ball hit leg-stump, giving Nat Sciver-Brunt the impression that she had bowled Katherine Fraser. However, the bails failed to come off, and the ball sped away for four, raising Scotland’s score to 100.
Maia Bouchier immediately put her foot on the accelerator after catching Rachel Slater with three straight boundaries at a pursuit of 110. Even worse for Scotland, Olivia Bell dropped Bouchier off her bowling in the next over.
After two overs, Danielle Wyatt-Hodge hit three fours to sabotage Bell, and in an 18-run over, Bouchier topped that. It took England just 4.4 overs to reach 50.
In eight of the ten overs, the two hitters scored at least ten runs, sparing no bowler. Bouchier reached her fifty off thirty balls after sweeping Fraser for four.
England managed to run a three near the end, thanks to a comedy of mishaps, while Wyatt-Hodge also reached her fifty. With a four-over square leg to end the match, Bouchier became the first team in women’s T20I history to win 150 games.
Brief Scores: Scotland lost to England 113/0 in 10 overs (Maia Bouchier 62*, Danielle Wyatt-Hodge 51*) by 10 wickets after scoring 109/6 in 20 overs (Kathryn Bryce 33, Sarah Bryce 27; Sophie Ecclestone 2-13)