England v India: Charlotte Edwards leads her side to victory
Last updated on .From the section Cricket
| Women's World Cup, Group A, Mumbai (Brabourne Stadium): |
| England 272-8 (50 overs) beat India 240-9 (50 overs) by 32 runs |
| Match scorecard (external site) |
Captain Charlotte Edwards struck a brilliant century as England kick-started their World Cup campaign with a 32-run win over hosts India.
Edwards' 109 took the defending champions to 272-8 in Mumbai and also saw her become the highest run-scorer in women's one-day internationals.
India were then reduced to 29-3 by the pace of Katherine Brunt and Anya Shrubsole and, despite an unbeaten hundred from Harmanpreet Kaur, the hosts could only close on 240-9.
With West Indies thrashing Sri Lanka in Sunday's other Group A game, England know victory over the Windies on Tuesday will guarantee them a place in the Super Six stage.
And an India win over Sri Lanka in the final round of group matches could create the right set of circumstances for England to carry the maximum four points through to the next round - rendering the shock opening defeat by minnows Sri Lanka meaningless.
In that game on Friday, England were far below their best, but here, led by Edwards, they outplayed the hosts despite the significant disadvantage of losing the toss.
As tall pace bowler Jhulan Goswami took advantage of the chance to bowl in the dewy, humid conditions to have Danielle Wyatt caught at slip, Edwards was watchful to negate the India attack's biggest threat.
Sarah Taylor, back in the side after a hamstring injury, was driving fluently as soon as she came to the crease but, when Edwards eventually found some rhythm with cuts to the boundary, she outscored her partner.
The Kent batter overtook Belinda Clark's previous world record of 4,484 runs when she moved from 53 to 57 by slapping the leg-spin of Reema Malhotra through the covers.
And, despite seeing Taylor run out by Amita Sharma's direct hit from mid-on to end a stand of 100, Edwards moved towards a century with sweeps and drives on both sides of the wicket.
Now in the company of the strong leg-side hitting of Lydia Greenway, Edwards reached her seventh ODI century by late-cutting Goswami for four.
After Greenway was held at mid-on off Goswami and the promoted pinch-hitting of Brunt added impetus in the powerplay, Edwards' stylish knock was ended through no fault of her own as she was left short by Arran Brindle's call for a single on the off side.
Brindle was also involved in the run out of Heather Knight but, with the help of Laura Marsh's innovation, she scampered England to a total far in excess of India's previous highest successful chase of 230.
It seemed as though the hosts would need a telling contribution from in-form opening pair Poonam Raut and Thirush Kamini or captain Mithali Raj, but all three fell cheaply.
First Brunt found swing back into Kamini to trap the left-hander lbw, then she tempted Raj to upper-cut to Shrubsole at third man. When Raut was leg before playing across Shrubsole, India were up against it.
Kaur and Karuna Jain managed to rebuild with a fourth-wicket partnership of 106 but, as the hosts fell further behind the pace, Jain was caught at point off Brindle for 56 when looking to accelerate.
Though England saw Shrubsole limp off the pitch, their improvement from the defeat by Sri Lanka was demonstrated by Knight's catch to dismiss Goswami. On Friday, England dropped three costly chances but now Knight spectacularly leapt high and right at mid-off to hold the chance off Marsh.
Kaur remained, the wicketkeeper launching the only two sixes of the match as she completed a maiden ODI century.
However, by this point, the task was already beyond India and three wickets in three balls - two to Brunt and one to Wyatt - emphasised that England's World Cup defence was back on track.
In the other Group A game, Stafanie Taylor smashed 171 from 137 balls as the Windies posted 368-8 against Sri Lanka before bowling out their opponents for 159.
In Group B, Australia edged to a three-wicket victory over South Africa while New Zealand beat Pakistan by seven wickets - meaning both victors progress to the Super Six stage, while Pakistan and South Africa meet on Tuesday to decide that group's final qualifier.
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Anyone else just love it when India lose at cricket?
I will thank my lucky stars that you are not predicting a victory for us, cos you don't have a clue what you are talking about, on any subject, on any sport, on any board.
That bowling attack is weak, and our top six will marmalise it :)
Shame your ladies took a beating today? Yorkie just a bit too quick for you?
Nice to see you too. Hope your daughter's the next Sarah Taylor. - Wanna know something? - I seem to remember that 5-29 (below) was against Bromley Grammar School! hehehe
Wanna know something ironic? When you get past a certain age, your fingers twist into the perfect deformity for leg-spin & googly bowling!
Arthritic fingers crossed for Tuesday!
Seeing as we are slightly off thread again ( probably my fault again lol ) what are your best bowling figures?.
I once played for my boarding school house team (Blundell) in the final of an Under 14s match against the opposition (Salisbury ) and took a fine 7 wickets for 14.
Was generally a quick bowler in my youth.
Shame neither the womens cricket or rugby successes aren't given more publicity
Yes, we are way off-thread. My mind is focussed on Tuesday! However, I think my modest best was 5-29.. I did, however, once hit a six into the school duck-pond -.and had a nice rest while they were finding the ball!
To pick up one of your points, yes, the injury to Shrubsole is worrying, especially as she's had injury problems before. I remember when she was first picked for the England squad, a raw product from down in Somerset, who nobody had heard of. Since then, she's added pace & accuracy, but seems injury-prone. If only she could maintain fitness, Brunt'n'Shrubsole cd become a legendary duo.
England wasn't so easy for him though? :p
Surely nobody in the history of test match cricket has better figures than that in 1 innings. 8 wickets for 8 runs. The mind boggles.
Every confidence in Edwards & this team. Let's back 'em to the hilt.
All teams on 2 points and the momentum with our ladies?
Katherine Brunt who bowls quicker and with more variation than M Starc will be the player of the series and guide us to our 7th ( SEVENTH) World Cup Final and I will make no predictions as to how that will go and will wish both teams all the best, as long as India are not playing of course :)
India erred in the bowling changes and could have chased 250ish.
Niranjana. Swapped out just when she found her rhythm and her economy had recovered. Should have continued bowling.
Ekta. After the run out of Taylor, should have swapped out Malhotra and brought in Sharma - not the bowler - Ekta.
Sharma - best economy - yet only bowled 5 overs?
Normally any mention of "World Cup" and we have hours and hours of TV analysis - from lots of very strange little men!
We beat them at home, trounced them away and now they are coming back to our place with him leading the attack.
All we need is Ponting as the captain and we can laugh all the way to a FOURTH Ashes series defeat for him PMSL
The indian ladies are better than that bunch :)