Familiar failings but calm Corteen-Coleman provides England optimism

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'Fantastic moment' - teenager Corteen-Coleman takes first international wicket

ByMatthew HenryBBC Sport journalist at Chester-le-Street

Published27 minutes ago

England's 18-year-old spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman has always appeared mature beyond her years.

In last year's Hundred her captain at Southern Brave, Georgia Adams, let her be her dog sitter - not a role you'd give to every teenager.

That maturity oozed from Corteen-Coleman throughout her England debut in Chester-le-Street on Sunday - with the ball, in the field and, crucially, in the final-wicket partnership with stand-in captain Charlie Dean, which sealed the tense win over New Zealand in the first one-day international.

Not until after, with her voice breaking a touch as she spoke in her post-match press conference, were there any sign of nerves.

"It was a bit emosh to be fair," she said of her maiden international wicket as Dean shook her head with a grin.

It had taken all day. That was the first evidence of her youthful side.

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Corteen-Coleman's day began in the outfield.

She looked the part, appearing fitter than in her previous major appearances last summer after a winter with England's senior side on training camps, which led to her earning a place in the squad for this summer's T20 World Cup.

The left-arm spinner was summoned to the attack by Dean after nine overs and was immediately waving her arms to move her own field.

There was that maturity again.

She beamed when the first wicket came - New Zealand batter Georgia Plimmer done in the air by some canny flight and picking out mid-off.

Corteen-Coleman was hugged by Lauren Bell and then Heather Knight. The latter had already played two seasons for Devon when Corteen-Coleman was born.

In the end, Corteen-Coleman ended with a more than respectable 2-49 as she added the wicket of Maddy Green for 88 in her final over.

She bowled accurately, ensuring England did not obviously miss Sophie Ecclestone - the world's number one spinner who sat out the game with a thigh niggle.

"I was, for the majority, really happy with my performance," said Corteen-Coleman.

"I am quite self-critical so to be honest I would have liked to have hit my areas more than I did.

"I possibly gave too much length and width at times."

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England debutants each pick up wickets against New Zealand

Those words showed maturity but also the teenager's high standards.

Corteen-Coleman perched herself next to England's coaches on the balcony for much of her side's chase. She believed her work for the day was done, but her most consequential moment was still to come.

Ten runs were still needed when she emerged as the last batter to join Dean.

Crucially, she helped Dean run twos and, with solid defence, bettered her previous high score of one not out in The Hundred to finish unbeaten on three and sealed the win.

"I am glad I looked calm because I definitely wasn't," she said.

"The main point for me was to keep it really simple."

Corteen-Coleman did not, of course, complete the win alone.

Central was the role of Dean, who admitted to exposing her team-mate more than she intended by taking singles early in the over, but otherwise played the situation well.

Much has been made of Dean's ability to hold her mettle in chases. There has been some success but failure too - notably in the Mankad ODI at Lord's in 2022 and the second ODI of the Women's Ashes last year.

This time, standing in as England captain for the first time, Dean dragged her side over the line.

If England's training camp with the army last week was supposed to develop leaders, this was Dean's Passing-Out Parade.

"I have worked on having that calmness and being ready in any situation but that mainly came from Deano," added Corteen-Coleman.

"If I came out and she was panicking I would have been under the pump."

Corteen-Coleman emerged with the words of coach Charlotte Edwards in her ears. She told her to back her strengths and keep a clear mind.

That was backed up by Dean in the middle.

"She came out with good clarity," said Dean.

"I said, 'Yorkers have been successful for them so they will probably look to get under your bat'.

"We decided getting forward was the best option.

"Tilly is really proactive with her thinking. She has a good cricket brain."

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England earn nervy one-wicket win over New Zealand in first ODI

The win, and its tight nature, undoubtedly masked familiar England failings.

They were poor again in the field, dropping a catch and leaking runs. Knight was done by an in-ducker again and Amy Jones played a rash shot when calmness was needed once more.

"There were a few nerves around," Dean said of the fielding. "We are a better fielding unit than that and I look forward seeing it."

The proof will be in the pudding.

But if context is going to be difficult to find until these two sides switch to the T20 format for a three-match series beginning on 20 May, the performances of Dean and Corteen-Coleman were enough for celebration.

England will also have different openers by the time their World Cup campaign begins against Sri Lanka on 12 June and their captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and best bowler, Ecclestone, should be back too.

Without them, Dean passed a major test under pressure and Corteen-Coleman came through on this stage for the first time in a close match England easily could have lost.

That gives some reason for optimism.