Sophia Dunkley launches England into new era with win over West Indies in first T20
- 1st T20: England, 150-2, bt West Indies, 146-7, by 8 wkts
- Dunkley hits unbeaten 81 after Mathews ton for visitors
This opening match of the T20 series at Canterbury was supposed to be all about England: a first chance to assess how this team will fare under the new head coach, Charlotte Edwards, and new captain Nat Sciver-Brunt. And no doubt, Edwards will be pleased that her reign began with an eight-wicket win, especially as this was a homecoming of sorts for the former Kent captain.
But while England experienced their first taste of victory in five months – spearheaded by a career-best unbeaten 81 from Sophia Dunkley, and featuring a wicket on debut for the 27-year-old Warwickshire seamer Em Arlott – there was only one star of Wednesday’s show: West Indies captain Hayley Matthews, who calmly brought up a century off the final ball of the visitors’ innings.