England Women's Cricket Team has taken a significant step towards the knockout stages of the Women's T20 World Cup with a thrilling 38-run victory over Scotland. The match, played in front of a record crowd of 11,419 at Headingley, saw Sophia Dunkley fill in for the injured Nat Sciver-Brunt and score a fine 57. However, it was the late-power surge from Freya Kemp and Dani Gibson that sealed the win for England.
Kemp and Gibson plundered 59 runs in the last 17 balls, including 11 boundaries, to lift England to a total of 200 for five. The duo's impressive performance has given England a boost, with Dunkley praising their skills and saying they are a 'great combination'. 'Kempy's got so much power down the ground and Gibbo can hit square', Dunkley said. 'They're a great combination and to have a partnership like that at the end gives us as a top-order a lot of confidence.'
England now has a strong chance of reaching the semi-finals, with likely only needing to beat one of the West Indies or New Zealand next week. Dunkley's inclusion in the team was a welcome boost, and she will retain her spot at number three when England face the Windies at Lord's on Wednesday. 'It's never nice and it's really disappointing', Dunkley said after missing England's first two games. 'Obviously being here at a home World Cup, you bite your arm off to go and play for England out there.'