Second women’s T20 international, Hove
England 89-6 (9 overs): Capsey 28 (15), Bouchier 23 (15); Tahuhu 2-20, A Kerr 2-22
New Zealand 42-5 (6.2 overs): Halliday 14 (9); Dean 2-3
England won by 23 runs (DLS method) and lead five-match series 2-0
England beat New Zealand by 23 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method in a rain-curtailed second T20 at Hove to take a 2-0 series lead.
After the game was reduced to nine overs a side because of a two-hour rain delay, Alice Capsey hit 28 from just 15 balls to help England reach 89-6.
New Zealand slumped to 42-5 in reply when a further spell of heavy rain brought an early end to the contest.
Charlie Dean was the pick of the bowlers taking 2-3 from one over, while Lauren Bell, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Sophie Ecclestone all taking a wicket.
The third T20 takes place in Canterbury on Thursday.
For long periods it looked like there would be no game at all after persistent if relatively light rain fell throughout the early evening at Hove.
A break in the weather finally allowed play to begin, albeit in damp and muggy conditions.
Danni Wyatt, who hit a match-winning 76 in the first T20 at Southampton on Saturday, fell for a three-ball duck as New Zealand made a good start after winning the toss.
But England responded aggressively, with fellow opener Maia Bouchier hitting a rapid 23, while Capsey’s spritely innings included two fours and two sixes.
The biggest shot of the day though went to Nat Sciver-Brunt, whose huge booming six off Lea Tahuhu went out of the ground.
New Zealand made a poor start to their reply, losing Sophie Devine and Amelia Kerr in the powerplay to slip to 12-2.
They never really recovered, with Dean removing Suzie Bates and Brooke Halliday in the same over to slip to 31-4.
When Jess Kerr edged a Sophie Ecclestone delivery through to Heather Knight the game was all but over as a contest, before more rain swept over the ground to force the players off the field.
Player of the match Charlie Dean: “[The award] is a bit of burglary, but I’ll take it. Capsey and Bouch [Maia Bouchier] set the platform, and Heather at the end.
“It’s really clear I’m trying to take wickets and play with attacking fields. I’m really enjoying it.”
England captain Heather Knight: “It is practice of being under pressure and having a bit of chaos.
“You have to stay calm and make quick decisions and I thought we did that brilliantly today. Those wickets we took really killed the game.”
New Zealand captain Sophie Devine: “We’ve got to keep finding the positives, we’ve got a quick turnaround to Canterbury. I don’t think we have time for training, it’s probably about looking at footage and having some conversations.”
