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Will the rain relent? England v India – Third Day

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The rain held off at the start of play. Sophie Ecclestone exploited the conditions to continue India’s collapse with three quick wickets.

But then test cricket’s magic took over again. India needed to reach 247 to avoid the follow-on. Their ninth wicket pair, Deepti Sharma (left-hand) and Pooja Vastrakar dug in.

Ecclestone still hadn’t found her best line against the left-handers, but Amy Jones clung on to an excellent catch to dismiss Sneh Rana. Heather Knight was as miserly as last night, but couldn’t break through; she finished with the astonishing analysis 11-8-5-2. She has hardly turned her arm over this season.

She tried Sophia Dunkley out with her leg-breaks, but she was hit for two fours and retired from the firing-line.

Where was Sarah Glenn?

Then another rarity in women’s cricket came to the rescue: a new ball. Katherine Brunt roared in to remove Vastrakar with a beauty of an outswinger. It trimmed the off-bail.

At the other end end Anya Shrubsole produced her party piece, the late inswinger, and Jhulan Goswami was castled.

India had failed by 17 to reach the magic 247. Knight invited them to don the pads again.

Just as lunch was being laid out Sciver caught Mandhana off Brunt. Was this the beginning of the end?

29-1

In the second session players evaded rain-drops while 26 runs were added, but tea was taken early at 4 o’clock. Sadly that proved the end of play. It meant that England had to take nine wickets in three sessions rather than five. But since India had crumpled alarmingly first time round, they know it is perfectly possible.

The weather for tomorrow is set fair(er).

What went wrong with the visitors’ batting?

Their first innings scorecard is top-heavy in the extreme. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma gave them an ideal start, reaching 167 at over 3 per over; the last nine wickets scrambled a further 64 runs. Only they will know how far nerves played a role, and how far good bowling was the trouble.

Mithali Raj did herself no favours by sending in Shikha Pandey (No 11 on the card) ahead of her 25 minutes before close of play. They scored two runs between them. England sensed weakness.

Second time round the Indian openers looked to put on another show, Verma especially. Every comment about her stresses her outstanding batting skills. She stroked a second fifty (55*), to join a select group have have achieved this on debut. Her one fault seems to be her running. Since she is happy to deal in boundaries, she doesn’t place quick singles high on her shopping-list. For her partner at the other end, struggling to hit the ball off the cut strip, one run can look like a lifeline in a stormy sea.

With Mandhana gone, Mithali Raj played the old gambit of promoting Deepti Sharma to No 3 after her positive showing earlier (29*). It worked. As the weather deteriorated, the England bowlers oohed and aahed, but couldn’t add a second wicket.

The fourth day bids to be as dramatic as the previous three. At its heart could be the battle of the generations, the 35-year-old Brunt barely keeping her temper against the 17-year-old Verma. And four lovely points are at stake.

Close of Play Scores: England 396-9 dec; India 231 and 83-1