Nelson, Mar 22: England skipper Heather Knight's heroic effort with the bat sealed a 15-run win for the visitors against New Zealand in the second T20I at Saxton Oval on Friday to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

Knight continued to ride high on her remarkable outing in the first T20I and once again rose to the challenge.

While chasing 150, Amelia Kerr showed grit and resilience as she strived hard to get the hosts across the finishing line. After the opening pair of Suzie Bates and Bernadine Bezuidenhout failed to get New Zealand to an ideal start in the chase, Kerr arrived at the crease and took on the mantle of scoring runs.

She held onto her end and kept the scoreboard ticking, with skipper Sophie Devine on the other end. Their short-lived partnership got New Zealand briefly back into the chase. After Devine's dismissal, Maddy Green and Kerr stitched up a 44-run stand that kept the Kiwis' hopes alive for a comeback in the series.

But pacer Danielle Gibson pulled England back into the game by removing Kerr for 44. Wickets continued to tumble as New Zealand were restricted to 134/8 and fell short of the target by 15 runs. England's frontline spin trio of Charlie Dean, Linsey Smith and Sarah Glenn combined to produce a clinical spell of 12-0-74-4. Earlier in the innings, after New Zealand won the toss and put England to bat, Devine spearheaded the attack with the ball and reduced the visitors to 34/2. Rosemary Mair joined the action to further increase England's woes by dismissing Maia Bouchier.

Knight arrived at the crease and showcased her batting masterclass. She stayed unbeaten with a score of 56, which was laced with four boundaries and two maximums. Knight drove England to a competitive total of 149/7, which proved to be sufficient. Brief Score: England 149/7 (Heather Knight 56*; Sophie Devine 2-30, Rosemary Mair 2-25) vs New Zealand 134/8 (Amelia Kerr 44; Lauren Bell 2-24, Charlotte Dean 2-28).

(ANI)

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