DESPITE a top score with the bat from York-born Lauren Winfield, England women lost by six wickets as New Zealand levelled their Twenty20 international series in Whangarei.

Rachel Priest (41), Suzie Bates (33) and Sophie Devine (29 not out) helped the hosts to successfully chase down a target of 123 with four balls to spare.

Stamford Bridge star Winfield’s 48 off 59 balls was England’s best showing with the bat, but with only Heather Knight (30) managing to score more than 20 outside of that England slumped to 122-5.

It tied the series at 1-1 after England recorded an eight-wicket win at the Cobham Oval on Thursday and nicely sets up next Tuesday’s decider.

The 24-year-old Winfield’s performance against New Zealand reinforced her claim as one of the most capable of quick runs in the England ranks.

When England completed a 3-0 whitewash of their T20 series against South Africa only last autumn, Winfield hammered 74 from 60 balls, the ninth-highest score ever by an England player in T20 cricket.

And that has helped the wicket-keeper batsman to underpin her England aim, which she said was to “battle my way into the side as a batter”.

She told The Press last year: “Being a back-up keeper is another string to my bow and will always stand me in good stead. I can only control my own skills.

“This is massive for me. My childhood dreams have become reality.”