On a day affected by rain, England women romped to a ten-wicket victory over India to take a 2-0 lead in the NatWest Women’s Series at The Hoem of Women's Cricket in Taunton. Watched by the Minister for Sport Gerry Sutcliffe Katherine Brunt took the Player of the Match for her match figures of 3-14 off her ten overs which included five maidens.
Brunt got a very early breakthrough as she dismissed opener Sulakshana Naik off the second ball of the first over for nothing. England captain, Charlotte Edwards, fielding at mid-off, took the catch, leaving India on 0-1.
Rain intervened as soon as the wicket had fallen, but the sun came out soon after and play was quickly resumed.
Deveika Palshikar was the next batter at the crease for India and she joined Jaya Sharma in the middle. Sarah Taylor, England’s wicket keeper had the chance to dismiss Palshikar but she dropped her on nought after 1.4 overs. However it wasn’t an expensive drop as the batter only went on to make four before she was trapped lbw for Brunt’s second wicket of the day and India were really struggling on 4-2.
Amita Sharma joined her namesake on the pitch and together they posted eight runs before Jaya Sharma was clean-bowled by Isa Guha, who opened the bowling with Brunt, and took out her middle stump. Sharma hadn’t made a run from 32 balls and India were 11-3.
India’s captain Mithali Raj, headed out at five for the visitors to join Amita Sharma, but 10 balls later, Sharma was on her way back to the pavilion having been caught by Guha at square leg off the bowling of Brunt for 6 and India were 11-4 after 13 overs.
Raj was joined by Hemlata Kala and together they put on a stand of 41 before Kala was run out by a direct hit from Katherine Brunt for 11. Brunt was fielding at mid-on and the two batters went for a run that wasn’t there. Brunt fielded the ball cleanly and a direct hit sent Kala back to the pavilion having scored five and India were 52-5.
Priyanka Roy replaced Kala in the middle, but she lasted just five balls before she was back inside following a catch by Jenny Gunn off Holly Colvin’s bowling, the spinner coming into the attack to get through India’s tail.
With India 56-6 Asha Rawat headed out in an attempt to put some runs on the board. She made 11 in a partnership of 28 between her and Raj to take India to 84-7 before Rawat was stumped by Sarah Taylor off the bowling of Colvin.
Jhulan Goswami, India’s strike bowler joined her captain, but was soon back inside having been run out by Gunn after a mix up in the middle to make way for Neetu David, India’s veteran spinner. David managed just one before she was dismissed lbw by Colvin and India were 90-9.
Seema Pujare came in at eleven and her and Raj took India past the 100 mark, but Pujare was clean-bowled for Colvin’s fourth wicket and India finished on 102 all out from 45.1 overs. Colvin returned figures of 4-20 from 8.1 overs.
In reply, England’s openers Sarah Taylor and Caroline Atkins knocked off the runs in 24.3 overs with Taylor making 75 not out and Atkins finishing unbeaten on 24.
The next NatWest Women’s ODI will be on Thursday September 4, again from the County Ground, Taunton and will be televised live on Sky Sports.
