Spin-heavy attack ‘more of a strength’ as England begin preparations for Women's T20 World Cup

England’s spin-heavy attack yielded a 59-run win over New Zealand, their biggest-ever T20I victory in terms of runs over the White Ferns, in Southampton.

Despite playing at home, where conditions traditionally assist the seam bowlers, England opted to give their tweakers an outing to work out permutations and combinations ahead of the Women’s T20 World Cup, all set to be played in spin-friendly Bangladesh in October. This five-match series is among the final preparation rounds for the side ahead of the big event.

Leg-spinning all-rounder Sarah Glenn, England’s star in the win with 3/16, stated after the match that fielding such an attack was an additional benefit for the other spinners in the setup.

“You've just got an extra opinion, which is actually quite nice,” Glenn said. “If there's a couple of spinners that might be struggling or anything like that, or you just want some advice, you've just got more people to speak to, and we obviously all bring something different.”

Glenn believes practitioners of the same bowling style can give each other advice on aspects of the game. She added that a five-game series against a good opponent like New Zealand gives England a chance to prepare well for the coming challenge of the T20 World Cup.

“If anything, it's just more of a strength. We've got more people to talk to who might be going through something I'm going through out there, so I think it's really good.

“It's five games as well, so we've got plenty of time to practise those things, but also against a top-quality team, who will put us under the pump, so I think it's really good prep.”

Besides Glenn, off-spinning all-rounder Charlie Dean picked 2/28, whereas slow left-arm spinners Sophie Ecclestone (1/27) and Linsey Smith (1/26) finished one wicket apiece.

Singling out Smith in particular, for whom it was just the third T20I appearance since 2019, Glenn was happy with the variety in the English attack ahead of the mega event.

“The more the merrier, I love it. Linsey has just been consistently performing for a really long period of time now, especially in the powerplay, at the death, and we all just bring something so different and I just felt it was really effective, so it was nice to see us all come together.”

The second T20I between the two sides will be played on 9 July in Hove.