Summary

  • England beat New Zealand by 59 runs to win first of five T20s in Southampton

  • White Ferns restricted to 138-9 with Sarah Glenn taking 3-16

  • Impressive England post 197-3 with Danni Wyatt making 76 off 51 balls & Nat Sciver-Brunt smashing 47 off 23 - watch some of the best shots

  • England played four frontline spinners as they build towards T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in October

  • Listen to uninterrupted online-only commentary at top of page

  • Get involved: #bbccricket on X, via WhatsApp on 03301 231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

Live Reporting

Timothy Abraham & Ffion Wynne

  1. Alex Hartley
    Former England bowler on BBC Sounds

    England picking four spinners? They are looking ahead looking to Bangladesh and how they can get their four spinners in this team. They are all different spinners. You have off-spin, left-arm spin, leg-spinner and then in Linsey Smith, who is a left-arm spinner but she actually bowls darts. I like the fact they are forward thinking.

  2. NZ 58-1

    Suzie Bates plays a shotGetty Images

    Sarah Glenn is wheeling away with her leggies, tempting the Kiwi batters to take her on. The carrot is being dangled, but neither Suzie Bates nor Amelia Kerr bite.

    Four singles.

  3. Frankie Mackay
    Ex-New Zealand all-rounder on BBC Sounds

    As a spinner in T20s, you have got to be resilient because you know that most of the time, batters are going to target you and Bates and Kerr have made it pretty clear they're not going to let Charlie Dean settle today.

  4. NZ 54-1

    Sophie Ecclestone responds by tightening it up in the remainder of the over. There's a leading edge off Suzie Bates' bat off the final ball of the over but it drops just short of the sprawling Heather Knight.

  5. Frankie Mackay
    Ex-New Zealand all-rounder on BBC Sounds

    Suzie Bates reverse sweeps for fourGetty Images

    The reverse sweep is a good option from Suzie Bates. She's using the extra pace that Ecclestone has to just help it on its way.

  6. NZ 52-1

    Sophie Ecclestone is thrown the ball by Heather Knight,

    A profitable start for New Zealand as Amelia Kerr cuts her for three before another Suzie Bates reverse flick for four.

  7. Here's that diabolical call from Georgia Plimmer which saw her run out by Nat Sciver-Brunt. She's been run out three times so far in matches against England so far this summer.

  8. NZ 45-1

    Worm has New Zealand marginally behind England after six overs in the first T20 in SouthamptonBBC Sport/CricViz

    Linsey Smith with her economical run-up continues to push the ball through to the New Zealand batters, who struggle to get her away.

    Three dots and three singles. England will not mind that on iota.

  9. Frankie Mackay
    Ex-New Zealand all-rounder on BBC Sounds

    New Zealand are still in the game, England were 42-0 at the same stage. But after the powerplay, that's when the real hard work starts and they have got to maintain the same pace of scoring.

  10. NZ 42-1

    Charlie Dean tosses her third ball up to Amelia Kerr,but the Kiwi gets down on one knee and haves it for four through deep long-on. New Zealand off to a decent start, but expect England to put the brakes on after the power play.

  11. Emily Windsor
    BBC Test Match Special commentator on BBC Sounds

    We talked about Suzie Bates and how she was searching for form in the ODIs but she's made a brilliant start here.

  12. NZ 34-1

    Clever batting from Suzie Bates.

    This time the experienced New Zealand opener reverse sweeps off-spinner Charlie Dean's first ball for four and finds the gap.

  13. Frankie Mackay
    Ex-New Zealand all-rounder on BBC Sounds

    A good comeback from Freya Kemp. She's shown good courage in response to being hit for that six.

  14. Alex Hartley
    Former England bowler on BBC Sounds

    I also love the fact Freya Kemp is back bowling. I am excited to see her back and she is the next Nat Sciver-Brunt. If you can get them both firing at the same time England are going to be unstoppable. A force to be reckoned with.

  15. NZ 30-1

    Freya Kemp mixing up her pace for the rest of the over to throw off some of the premeditated nature of the Kiwi batters.

  16. Frankie Mackay
    Ex-New Zealand all-rounder on BBC Sounds

    You could sense Suzie Bates teeing up for that, she's shuffling around her crease and just waiting for the right ball where she can just use the pace to help it on its way.

  17. Emily Windsor
    BBC Test Match Special commentator on BBC Sounds

    That was spectacular!

  18. 6 runs

    NZ 28-1

    Clever from Suzie Bates who steps across her stumps and scoop slogs Freya Kemp for a brilliant six behind square. An inventive piece of strokeplay from the Kiwi, even if she did not quite middle that.

  19. Emily Windsor
    BBC Test Match Special commentator on BBC Sounds

    Linsey Smith bowlsGetty Images

    Linsey Smith isn't the tallest, and she bowls with quite a low arm so she really fires it in at you as a batter. It can be quite hard to read and the pace on the ball makes it difficult to use your feet.

  20. NZ 21-1

    Linsey Smith's flat left-arm spin into the attack and New Zealand are able to pick up a second boundary off her fourth ball, Suzie Bates whipping her through deep square for four.

    More of this required for the White Ferns.