Bouchier's 91 powers England to series-clinching victory

Maia Bouchier hit an outstanding 91 to supercharge England towards a series-clinching 47-run victory against New Zealand in the fourth T20I, in Wellington.

Bouchier, who had been promoted to open as England reshuffled their side with WPL players now available, followed her maiden half-century from the third game with a destructive display which powered the visitors to 177 for 3.

New Zealand had suffered a major blow when captain Sophie Devine picked up a quad strain while bowling. She sent down only one over and did not appear with the bat as the home side were overwhelmed.

England did not race away in the powerplay and sat on 35 for 1 after six overs. However, Bouchier had already been given a reprieve when she was missed on 5 in the opening over as keeper Izzy Gaze and Devine at slip left an outside edge to each other.

Bouchier was 20 off 18 balls after the powerplay - which included a magnificent straight six off Hannah Rowe - then started to move through the gears to reach fifty from 33 balls. By then, she had been given another life on 44 when Jess Kerr missed a return catch.

Back-to-back boundaries off Amelia Kerr took her into the 90s in 18th over but she fell the next delivery. Her 91 was the seventh-highest score for England in T20Is.

There was a series of strong partnerships for England. Bouchier and Alice Capsey, one of the four players who had been at the WPL back in the side, added 75 in 61 balls although Capsey couldn't quite hit her stride with 25 off 32 balls.

The tempo was lifted as Bouchier and Nat Sciver-Brunt put on 38 off 20 deliveries before the innings was given a powerpacked finish by Sciver-Brunt and captain Heather Knight as they added 34 off just 14 balls. In total, England amassed 65 off the last five overs which all went for double figures.

Other than the 14th over delivered by Suzie Bates, England found at least one boundary in every over after the powerplay.

It was always going to be a tall order for the home side to chase down 178, doubly so with Devine having picked up an injury. Their hopes took another major blow when Bates fell to Lauren Bell in the opening over.

Bernadine Bezuidenhout and Amelia built a promising second-wicket stand as New Zealand kept up with England's initial scoring rate. But Charlie Dean had Amelia taken at square leg in her opening over then added Maddy Green when she got a glove on a reverse sweep.

Sophie Ecclestone was typically miserly on her return to international duty although blotted her copybook when she shelled a regulation catch at long off. Dean picked up two further wickets in her last over to finish with four.

The potential seriousness of Devine's injury was clear when she did not appear in the middle order.