The Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian side were clinical in the first game as they took the lead in the three-match ODI series with a four-wicket win in the opener at Southampton.
The much-anticipated second ODI at the iconic Lord’s in London had a frustrating start, as persistent rain kept players off the field and threatened to wash out the encounter. However, to everyone’s relief, the match eventually got underway, reduced to a 29-overs-per-side contest due to the weather delays.
The home side made three changes to their XI: Maia Bouchier came in for Alice Davidson-Richards, Emily Arlott replaced Kate Cross, and Linsey Smith was drafted in for Lauren Filer. For India, Arundhati Reddy came in for Amanjot Kaur.
Sophie Ecclestone’s Three-Fer Keeps India in Check
After England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt won the toss and opted to bowl first, India lost opener Pratika Rawal in the second over. Emily Arlott struck early to provide England the first breakthrough. Harleen Deol then joined vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, and the duo built a steady 40-run partnership for the second wicket.
Just as the pair looked to shift gears, Sophie Ecclestone turned the momentum with an outstanding piece of athleticism to dismiss Harleen Deol (16 off 24 balls) on just the second ball of her spell. India struggled to maintain partnerships, losing wickets at regular intervals, but managed to post a competitive total of 143/8 in 29 overs.
Key contributions came from Smriti Mandhana (42 off 51 balls), Deepti Sharma (30* off 34), Arundhati Reddy (14 off 18), and Sneh Rana (6 off 4). England’s bowling attack was led by Sophie Ecclestone (6-0-27-3), while Emily Arlott (6-1-26-2) and Linsey Smith (5-0-28-2) also impressed.
England’s Top Order Holds Nerve to Level the Series
Chasing 144, England openers Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones gave the team a strong start with a 54-run opening partnership. Sneh Rana broke the stand, dismissing Beaumont (34 off 35) in the 11th over to hand India a breakthrough.
Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt joined Amy Jones at the crease and the pair steadied the innings before rain once again interrupted play. With England at 102/1 in 18.4 overs, only eight balls remained before the game could be declared official. Tension built as rain threatened to force a no-result.
Fortunately, the weather cleared, and play resumed with England needing 13 runs off 32 balls under the revised target of 115. Kranti Goud gave India a brief spark of hope, cleaning up Sciver-Brunt (21 off 25) with the very first ball after resumption.
However, England comfortably chased down the target with 8 wickets in hand and 18 balls to spare, with Sophia Dunkley hitting the winning runs. Amy Jones remained unbeaten on 46 off 57 balls to guide her side to victory.
Among Indian bowlers, Sneh Rana (3-0-12-1) and Kranti Goud (3-0-29-1) picked up a wicket each. Arundhati Reddy (5-0-21-0), Deepti Sharma (5-0-23-0), and Shree Charani (5-0-28-0) were economical but went wicketless.
Sophie Ecclestone was awarded the Player of the Match for her game-defining spell of 3 for 27 in 6 overs, playing a crucial role in setting up a dominant win that levels the series 1-1 going into the decider in Chester-le-Street.
I am Yash Tailor, and I believe work should be driven by passion. Therefore, after completing my Engineering, I chose to work in the Cricket industry, my passion. My goal is to reach a stage where I truly enjoy what I do and give my best to every task with energy and purpose.