Sussex duo help England to big win in New Zealand

Sussex’s Freya Davies and Danni Wyatt were part of an England side that romped to an eight-wicket victory in their first one-day international against New Zealand in Christchurch on Tuesday morning.

Davies was one of seven England bowlers to take a wicket as New Zealand were bowled out for 178 in the 46th over having won the toss and elected to bat first. The right-arm seamer picked up the wicket of Amelia Kerr and finished with 1 for 30 from seven overs.

Wyatt made her mark in the field with a fine catch off the bowling of Katherine Brunt to dismiss White Ferns opener Natalie Dodd before providing the throw that ran out Brooke Halliday for 53.

Then, Wyatt helped get England’s chase off to a solid start, adding 42 for the first wicket alongside Tammy Beaumont, before being dismissed for 17 half way through the eighth over.

Beaumont would go on to top score with 71 as England cruised home with 98 balls to spare. Skipper Heather Knight finished unbeaten with 67 with Nat Sciver 21 not out at the other end.

The second match of the three-match series takes place in Dunedin on Thursday.

Wyatt and Davies had also featured in the second warm-up match on their tour of New Zealand, this one also against a New Zealand XI.

Davies was able to help reduce the home side’s total to 316/5 by taking the wicket of captain Katie Perkins for 23 but ended up going at over nine an over, finishing with figures of 1-65 from seven overs.

Wyatt started England’s chase off well, scoring 54 from 42 balls before being bowled by Claudia Green. Davies was able to add 18 runs in a partnership of 51 with Heather Knight but was unable to guide England to victory as they were defeated by 30 runs at Queenstown.

A series of three ODIs is followed by three T20s.

Pakistan Super League - four Sharks involved

The Pakistan Super League began, with several Sharks looking to make their mark on one of the biggest T20 franchise tournaments.

Rashid Khan and David Wiese, two of Sussex’s overseas stars for the upcoming season, joined up at Lahore Qalandars as they took on Ravi Bopara’s Peshawar Zalmi.

All three impressed in the first innings, Wiese helping start an early collapse for Peshawar Zalmi, removing Shoaib Malik for 26 as they collapsed to 46/4. Wiese finished with handy figures of 1-30 from his allocation and Rashid, while taking a wicket, produced a superb spell, going for just 14 runs from his four overs.

Bopara, watching the damage from the other end, dug in and produced a half-century from 44 balls before being removed on the milestone by Shaheen Afridi, caught by Rashid.

Chasing 141 to win, Qalandars stumbled to 109/6, Wiese part of the collapse as he was removed first ball by Saqib Mahmood leg-before. It took a counter-attacking knock from Rashid to help support Mohammed Hafeez at the other end to get Qalandars out of trouble. Rashid made 27 from just 15 balls, including a helicopter six to finish the game as Qalandars won by four wickets.

Phil Salt began his campaign for PSL glory for Islamabad United as they took on Multan Sultans. Salt, donning the gloves behind the stumps, took a catch off Faheem Ashraf to dismiss the dangerous Chris Lynn for just one in the Sultans' total of 150/8. Salt made just 13 off 12 balls in his side’s chase, as they collapsed to 74/6 before 49 not out from Lewis Gregory guided Salt’s team to a three-wicket win.

Meanwhile Jofra Archer has been named in England’s squad for the third Test in India. The fast bowler had been ruled out of the second Test by an elbow injury. The third Test begins on Wednesday and is live on Channel 4.