Batting first, India’s women got off to a slow start: 27/2 after just 9.4 overs. * Anya Shrubsole removed both of India’s openers cheaply by their 10th over. Firstly, catching Shafali Verma (15) off Katherine Brunt. Secondly clean-bowing Smriti Mandhana (10) *India’s skipper Mithali Raj top-scored (72 runs from 108 balls): that included seven ‘fours.’ Punam Raut scored 32 from 61. Batting lower down the order, Deepti Sharma added 30 from 46
* More than half of all balls bowled by England were unplayable ‘dot’ balls. Three of England’s bowlers: Anya Shrubsole, Kate Cross and Sophie Ecclestone bowled rare ‘wicket maidens.’ Ecclestone (3-40) took most wickets plus one catch.
Summary
England made light work of their reply, reaching the mid-way point with a faster scoring rate, for the loss of just two wickets. * Beyond the 25th over (five overs later) Natalie Sciver (74 runs from 74 balls) increased her strike rate from 25 runs off 34 balls (i.e.: from below one-run-per-ball) boosting her match-winning score by adding around 50 from another 40 balls
Playing her 60th ODI innings, Tammy Beaumont (87 runs from 87 balls) flew past her 2500 run milestone
Result: England Women 202/2 beat India 201/8 by 8 wickets
India 201/8 (50 overs) Mithali Raj 72, Punam Raut 32, Deepti Sharma 30; England Bowling: Sophie Ecclestone 3-40; Anya Shrubsole 2/33; Katherine Brunt 2/35; Kate Cross 1/23
Fow 1/23, 2/27, 3/83, 4/84, 5/149, 6/180, 7/192, 8/197
England 202/2 (34.5 overs) Tammy Beaumont 87, Natalie Sciver 74; India Bowling: Jhulan Goswami 1-25; Ekta Bisht 1-55; Fow 1/24, 2/83
Scorecard & videos at https://www.ecb.co.uk/matches/31725#scorecard-videos
Comment: Sciver needs at least another ‘fifty’ to pass her 2000 run milestone for ODIs
Next matches: 2nd ODI at Taunton on 30th June; & 3rd ODI at Worcester on 3rd July
