After winning the t20 series 2-0, England Women moved on to take on India Women in the first match of the ODI series at Lord's.
England won the toss and batted, and Charlotte Edwards fell LBW to Nagaranjan Niranjana for the 3rd game in a row for 1 in the 2nd over, 1-1. In form Sarah Taylor joined Tammy Beaumont and they looked to be taking England to a large total, after struggling to 18-1 after 10 overs, the 50 came up in the 17th over as Archarna Das went for 12 in her first over. Niranjana's 2nd spell got the breakthrough as Beaumont fell LBW playing across the line for 27. Taylor then charged Das, missed the inseamer, and was stumped by Sulakshana Naik for 38, 76-3 in the 22nd over with both set batsmen out.
Arran Brindle and Heather Knight began the rebuild, Brindle bringing up the 100 with a four off Amita Sharma in the 29th over. Veda Krishnamurthy then bowled Knight for 12 with only her 5th ball in ODIs, 114-4. Seeing off Niranjana was probably the plan, but Jenny Gunn was bowled from the final ball of an excellent spell as she finished with 3-28 from her 10 overs.
Brindle went on to her 50 from 66 balls as England reached 162-5 after 40 overs, ready for a final push.
Laura Marsh swiped Gouher Sultana for four, then edged behind for 19 from 21, 175-6. Next over, Das got the huge wicket of Brindle, well held caught and bowled smacked straight back at her for 58 from 73, 181-7. Katherine Brunt swung a massive six into the Tavern Stand, but skied Jhulan Goswami to Harmanpreet Kaur at deep square leg for 13. Danni Wyatt gave Das her third wicket caught by Niranjana for 20 from 16, and the innings ended in the final over, Danielle Hazell bowled Das (4-61) for 9, 229 all out, a below par total you felt as England never managed to get away from India.
India needed to bat sensibly and Mona Meshram and Poonam Raut started solidly against Brunt and Georgia Elwiss with runs coming slowly, and India's problem with running returned, Raut pushing to point and running through for the single, and Meshram being beaten out by Wyatt's throw to Taylor for 9, 21-1.
Captain Mithali Raj and Raut then made sure England didn't take any further wickets for a while with some solid strokeplay, seeing out Brunt and Elwiss's opening spell, 24-1 after 10 and then playing solidly against Marsh and Gunn, 59-1 after 20 overs. Raut then opened up, hitting 8 off Wyatt's 2nd over before combining with Raj to have 11 from a poor first over by Brindle, giving easy runs square of the wicket.
Raut passed 50 from 94 balls, before Hazell, the 7th bowler used, struck 2nd over, bowling Raut off stump for 60, 127-2 with 103 needed from 102 balls.
England needed to dismiss new batter Kaur and Raj fairly quickly from now on, but the bowling just wasn't effective, firstly Rak passed 50 from 76 balls then Kaur hit Marsh for four then six into the Tavern Stand as India needed 71 from the final 10 over with 8 wickets left. England tried to constrict the run rate, but Kaur found the Mound Stand boundary at square leg against Wyatt. Raj then chipped the ball just over Elwiss at midwicket, the last chance for England to win really. 18 from 18 and Kaur went to a run a ball 50 then top edged a massive sweep towards square leg where Brunt running round took a spectacular diving catch to give Hazell a deserved 2nd wicket.
Raj settled nerves by hitting the next ball for four to move into the 90s. Krishnamurthy swung at three in a row against Wyatt, scrambling back for the 2nd each time. With two needed to win and the field up Krishnamurthy's next heave went towards midwicket where Brunt (the only fielder outside the circle) took another great diving catch. This left Naik on strike for the final over from Hazell, and after swinging adn failing against the first two balls, the third was hit towards square leg and the batsmen charged through for the single, only for Gunn to pick up and hurl down the stumps at the bowlers end, Naik run out for nought. That got Raj on strike, and she dispatched the next ball over midwicket for four, to win by 5 wickets with 2 balls to spare and finish with a player of the match winning 96 not out from 111 balls. Lord's now goes off limits due to the Olympics until August, an exciting game before the send off.
