A sideways look
Derby
First, records
Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones take pride of place. After their remarkable opening stand of 222 at Derby, with both scoring tons (Jones’ her very first after a dozen years of trying), they repeated the dose at Leicester, falling 20 runs short of their previous effort. Both scored another ton.
This was the first time this doublet has been achieved by English players.
For Tammy this was the third time she had scored consecutive hundreds, an astonishing achievement.
Jones’ promotion to open may be seen as one of Charlotte Edwards’ earliest bonus-point wins.
Equally, she will be all too aware of the conditions in which these records were set. At one moment in my note-taking I had offered: “Will the Indians be quaking in their boots?’ A second’s thought, and I withdrew the remark.
Kate Cross took her 100th wicket in her 100th game, the second-fastest England player to achieve this record.
Team changes
Among the personnel changes between ODIs 1 and 2 the name Hayley Matthews disappeared from the scorecard. Since her contributions have been overwhelmingly important for her side, we could hardly expect an improved performance after the big loss at Derby.
In fact the West Indians deserve great credit, now under the leadership of the experienced Shemaine Campbelle. The one heartwarming showing came from Realeanna Grimmond. Opening the innings on debut, she had scored a confident 53 (out of 90-3) by the time Linsey Smith lured her into an unwise lofted shot, to be caught in the deep by Kate Cross.
We can only hope that this single achievement inspires other youngsters – on tour and back at home – to mirror Grimmond. On balance, it will have done the visitors good to take the field without their star performer. “Stand on your own two feet!” and all that.
There is still a long furrow to hoe: bowling remains wayward; fielding has lapses that go even beyond England’s own embarrassments.
Next, England’s selections
Edwards introduced Alice Davidson-Richards and Lauren Filer in place of Em Arlott and Charlie Dean. In theory that meant strengthening the batting while weakening the bowling. Neither of the two incomers was given a leading role. ADR was listed at 7; Filer wasn’t given the new ball.
As the game took shape, not only ADR may have doubted she might get to the crease. Beaumont performed as if her bat-maker had forgotten to provide edges to his product – surely that’s against some Law? While the pick of many wonderful shots by the keeper were her straight drives through mid-on.
When Jones finally fell, caught and bowled by Karishma Ramharack off a stinger, in came Emma Lamb with her future at stake. She proved quite up to the task, scoring a confidence-boosting 55 off 45 deliveries. As the overs ran out, It was up to the remaining batters to throw caution to the wind. Sophia Dunkley made a quick-fire 31 and Alice Capsey 16. Even ADR found herself called to action right at the end. She responded by plonking her first ball for four.
On the bowling front Linsey Smith reinforced her value as a dam against quick-scoring. And in overs-matches that tends to bring wickets, as batters lose patience. Her figures 10-1-27-2 stood out. Capsey picked up 3-42, inviting two batters to hit the ball to deep-set fielders, and allowing Jones to show the speed of her glove-work with a pretty stumping.
None of the quicks really shone; they bowled some decent deliveries that didn’t gain the reward they deserved. But they alternated with inaccuracy. They may find life troublesome when they come to face the pick of Indian batters. ADR was given three overs. She was wayward in length as so often, but picked up a cherished first wicket, as the ball worked itself into the safe hands of team-mate Beaumont out in the deep.
The Future
The third and last ODI takes place at Taunton on Saturday. It will be interesting to see what adjustments Edwards makes, if any. Equally, what benefits the West Indians can show from the positives extracted from the Leicester game.
Scores:
England 366-6 (Jones 129, Beaumont 106, Lamb 55)
West Indies 233 (Realeanna Grimmond 53)
England won by 143 runs
