England Women vs NZ Women 2nd T20I Trent Bridge — Amelia Kerr's 48-and-3/24 Allround Match

New Zealand were 41 for 4 in the seventh over at Trent Bridge on May 16, two wickets down to Charlie Dean and two to Lauren Bell. The series was about to head into a 2-0 hole. Amelia Kerr walked out at number five, faced 36 balls for 48 not out, and dragged her side to 143. Then she bowled four overs of leg-spin for 24 runs and three wickets to break the England chase. New Zealand won by 16 runs and the series is level at 1-1. The 22-year-old from Wellington played the kind of match that defines a player's decade.

Phase one: walking into 41 for 4

Sophie Devine had won the toss and chosen to bat — a brave call on a Trent Bridge surface that historically grips for spinners. Suzie Bates fell to Lauren Bell in the second over for 6. Devine went next in the fourth over, edging Charlie Dean to slip. Brooke Halliday and Maddy Green followed before drinks. New Zealand were 41 for 4 after 6.3 overs.

Kerr came in with the field up and the spinners on. Her first 12 balls were ones and twos against Dean and Sarah Glenn, working the leg-side gaps and refusing to lift. She got to 12 off 12 by the end of the 10th over, never having played a shot in the air. The plan was clear: bat until the 15th, then look for the boundary.

What the numbers say

Kerr's 48 not out off 36 broke down into two phases. Phase one (balls 1-22, overs 7-13): 14 runs at strike rate 63.6, no boundaries. Phase two (balls 23-36, overs 14-20): 34 runs at strike rate 242.8, three sixes and two fours. The seventh-wicket partnership with Isabella Gaze added 38 in 24 balls. The eighth-wicket partnership with Jess Kerr — sisters batting together — added 32 in 19.

The acceleration trigger was Charlie Dean's 16th over. Kerr stayed deep in the crease, picked the length of a slightly fuller delivery, and slog-swept her for six over deep midwicket. The next ball she hit straight back over Dean's head for four. That over went for 14 and lifted New Zealand from 89 for 6 to 103 for 6.

The over that flipped the chase

England started their chase at a clip. Bouchier and Capsey added 31 in 4.1 overs before Capsey fell to Eden Carson. Tammy Beaumont came in at three and put together 37 with Bouchier. At 68 for 1 in the ninth over England were on track.

Amelia Kerr was given the 10th over. She bowled a maiden — four dot balls to Bouchier (who has a struggle against leg-spin in 2026) followed by two singles. The pressure built. In the 12th over Kerr returned and got Bouchier lbw for 39 with a top-spinner that pitched on middle and hit the back pad. The next ball she had Beaumont caught at deep midwicket trying to break the slow over.

In the 16th over she came back for her third over and got Heather Knight caught at long-on. 96 for 5 in 16 overs. The chase was effectively over. Her final over in the 19th went for just 6 and sealed it.

What it means for the series

The series is level. New Zealand have a player who can do this on demand, and England have a leg-spin matchup problem against Kerr that they need to solve in three days. Bouchier's scores against leg-spin in 2026 read 12, 4, 7, 14, and 39 — the last one ended in dismissal by the same bowler. Knight's record is better but her ceiling against Kerr is limited.

Charlie Dean still took 2 for 18 but her impact was blunted by Kerr's end-overs hitting against her. The rotation question for Heather Knight is whether to bowl Dean three overs upfront (when New Zealand's top order is exposed) or save one for the death.

The forward view

The third T20I is at The Oval on May 18. The surface there is the truest of the five venues and traditionally produces totals of 165-plus. New Zealand will keep Kerr at five — moving her up disrupts the lower order. England's call is whether to bring Lauren Filer in for the extra pace option.

The matchup that will define the rest of the series is Kerr vs Knight. If Heather Knight can find a sweep set against the leg-spin, England's chasing potential goes up. If she can't, expect Kerr to bowl her quota in the middle overs of every remaining match.

What to watch next: Heather Knight's response to Amelia Kerr's leg-spin at The Oval — sweep or anchor.

Related coverage

• the 2026-27 international calendar
• WTC Final cycle
• England Vs Nz Women 1st
• England Vs Nz Women 3rd