Commonwealth Games: New Zealand beat England to earn T20 cricket bronze
- Published
Brunt was wicketless against New Zealand in the bronze medal match, having taken two wickets for four runs from three overs against them in the group stage
Commonwealth Games T20 bronze medal match, Edgbaston: |
England 110-9 (20 overs): Sciver 27, Jones 26, Jensen 3-24 |
New Zealand 111-2 (11.5 overs): Devine 51* (40 balls) |
New Zealand won by eight wickets |
Veteran England fast bowler Katherine Brunt said she felt she had let the country down after failing to win a medal at the Commonwealth Games.
They were thrashed by eight wickets in the bronze medal match at Edgbaston as New Zealand earned the first women's Commonwealth cricket medal.
"It felt like the actual whole country was behind us. We're just sad we let them down. We couldn't quite do it," said Brunt, 37, who retired from Tests in June and has now hinted that she may retire from all international cricket.
Favourites Australia beat India by nine runs in the final to win the gold medal.
Asked whether Sunday's bronze medal match was her last game for England, Brunt said: "I don't know, I need to reflect.
"I've got to get up in two days to play in The Hundred, which is savage. But that's just life, that's just sport.
"I need to reflect on that bit, see where I'm at and what my next goal is."
The White Ferns needed fewer than 12 overs to reach their target of 111 after England had won the toss but were restricted to 110-9 from their 20 overs.
New Zealand captain Sophie Devine top scored with an unbeaten 51 as the Kiwis raced home for the loss of only two wickets.
England stand-in captain Nat Sciver, said she was disappointed her team had not performed well on Sunday after an agonisingly close defeat by India in Saturday's semi-final.
She said: "It's very disappointing, but I think the way we played today, we didn't deserve to get a medal which is a bit easier to take than yesterday."
England struggled to get going and found themselves two down inside three overs.
Sciver brought impetus to the innings, but she was bowled for 27 to leave the hosts 44-3 in the seventh over.
Keeper Amy Jones batted brightly for her 26 before being bowled by Hayley Jensen (3-24) and Sophie Ecclestone bludgeoned England's only six of the innings before she was out for 18 as England limped to three figures.
New Zealand had a very modest total to chase, and Devine got them off to a flier - although they were helped by uncharacteristic wayward bowling from veteran seamer Brunt.
Sciver, leading the side in place of the injured Heather Knight, finally made the breakthrough when she had Suzie Bates caught in the deep for 20, and teenage left-armer Freya Kemp removed Georgia Plimmer.
But it was all in vain as New Zealand romped home.
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