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Figure caption,Bell dismisses Plimmer with first ball of the game
ByFfion WynneBBC Sport Journalist- Published20 May 2026, 21:17 BST
First T20, Derby
New Zealand 136-7 (20 overs): Devine 45 (22); Bell 2-23
England 140-3 (17.2 overs): Capsey 74* (51); Illing 2-19
England won by seven wickets
Alice Capsey's unbeaten 74 from 51 balls led England to a comfortable seven-wicket win over New Zealand in the first T20 at Derby.
Promoted to open in the absence of Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Capsey struck three sixes in her brilliant knock as the hosts reached their target of 137 with 16 balls to spare.
Capsey added 64 from 35 balls for the third wicket with all-rounder Freya Kemp, who finished unbeaten on 31, to complete a comfortable chase which kicks off their T20 World Cup preparations.
Earlier, New Zealand - who will be defending their T20 title when the tournament begins in June - trudged to 136-7 after losing Georgia Plimmer to the first ball of the game, bowled by Lauren Bell.
Sophie Devine bludgeoned 45 from 22 balls including three sixes from Sophie Ecclestone's opening over, but had little support from the rest of the White Ferns' line-up.
New Zealand only managed six boundaries after Devine was bowled by Dani Gibson at the end of the ninth over, though they curiously left veteran Suzie Bates unused at number nine.
Bell finished with an impressive 2-23 while Linsey Smith bowled a remarkable spell of 1-10, but her fellow left-arm spinner Ecclestone was targeted as she conceded 34 from three wicketless overs.
The preceding one-day international series was drawn 1-1, and three-match T20 series continues on Saturday at Canterbury.
England make early World Cup statement
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Figure caption,Devine smashes three sixes off Ecclestone
Earlier this week, England's World Cup preparations were dealt a blow with captain Nat Sciver-Brunt's calf injury ruling her out of this series and the following three matches against India.
They have been guilty of relying too much on Sciver-Brunt's batting brilliance in recent years, which will add an element of added pleasure for Charlotte Edwards as she watched two 21-year-olds put together a mature, match-winning stand.
Capsey, who usually bats at number three, was opening for the first time for England in this format but stepped up seamlessly as Wyatt-Hodge awaits the birth of her child.
She played to her strengths by dismantling New Zealand's pace attack flawlessly, including back-to-back sixes off Jess Kerr in the 15th over, while calmly negotiating the spinners with singles.
Though it remains unclear who will make way in the side when Sciver-Brunt and Wyatt-Hodge return, World Cup winner Alex Hartley says England must find a way to keep Capsey in.
"I think she is in England's best XI, the way she's adapted her game," Hartley said on BBC Test Match Special.
"When she came onto the scene as a 16-year-old she set the world alight, we all knew the talent that she had then. She had a little bit of a dip in form, she was on TV more and players started to to work her out.
"But she's adapted her game, she was brilliant in the 50-over World Cup and she got England out of a lot of trouble a number of times."
Capsey believes her game has improved since she had the opportunity to spend time working on her skills, away from the pressures of playing.
"That three-month block at the beginning of the year was amazing, just to get some proper skills development, which I've probably not had for the last couple of years," said Capsey.
"I've worked on quite a few different areas of my game, I feel really comfortable at the crease, really calm - I think it showed today, I think I was two off eight, and just that composure to know I can catch up and really believe that as well."
After fellow opener Sophia Dunkley skied a catch for eight and Maia Bouchier was cleaned up by Bree Illing, Capsey added 43 with former captain Knight before Kemp injected some late energy into the chase with her 20-ball knock as the threat of rain loomed.
With the ball, the roles of England's attack is clear. Bell continues to shine in her leadership role while Smith dominated the powerplay, claiming the key scalp of skipper Melie Kerr, who was caught at mid-off which may have contributed to the rest of the batters' timid approach to the spinner.
However, Ecclestone was also targeted by New Zealand in the third ODI at Cardiff which could be a trend used by opposition sides at the World Cup.
Devine was immediately on the attack with those three massive leg-side blows, but the return of Gibson and Kemp to bowling after their respective back injuries ticks off another key part of Edwards' puzzle.
