Match report: Eng vs Ind (Women), 1st ODI
First Published : 02 Jul 2012, 10:10
Last Modified : 02 Jul 2012, 10:44
Mumbai desk, July 1: An unbeaten 94 by skipper Mithali Raj helped India beat England by five wickets in the first ODI between the two sides, at Lord’s.
Chasing 230, the Indian Women reached the target with three balls to spare. The visitors would be buoyed by their victory that follows a 2-0 loss in the T20 series.
Mona Meshram, opening the chase with Poonam Raut, was run out for nine with just 21 runs on the board. However the India captain and Raut forged a 106-run partnership; the latter was eventually bowled by Danielle Hazell for 60. But Raj, who missed out on a well-deserved hundred by six runs, held up one end to ensure victory for the visitors. The No. 3 batsman, along with her deputy Harmanpreet Kaur, added 89 crucial runs for the third wicket. Kaur, who scored a 51-ball 50 with four hits to the fence and the only six of the Indian innings, was Hazell’s second wicket.
Veda Krishnamurthy then chipped in six runs before falling to Danielle Wyatt while wicketkeeper Sulkashana Naik returned to the pavilion without opening her account. Raj, however, took India across the line.
Earlier, opting to bat first, the hosts were all out for 229. Right-arm quick N Niranjana claimed both openers lbw; she first trapped England skipper Charlotte Edwards in the second over and 62 runs later, she sent back Tammy Beaumont. A few overs later, Archana Das dismissed Sarah Taylor. Wickets then continued to fall at regular intervals. Heather Knight was bowled Veda Krishnamurthy in the 30th over while Niranjana castled Jenny Gunn to leave the home team on 132 for the loss of five wickets.
After Laura Marsh edged Gouhar Sultana to the wicketkeeper in the 42nd over, Arran Brindle (58), the top-scorer for England, was claimed by Das. Jhulan Goswami then chipped in with the wicket of Katherine Brunt while Das crashed Hazell’s woodwork to wrap up the England innings with five balls remaining.
Of the seven bowlers used by Raj, all except Meshram picked wickets. Niranjana returned with three scalps, while Das claimed a four-for.
Brief scores: England 229 all out in 49.1 overs (A Brindle 58, A Das 4/61, N Niranjana 3/28) lost to India 230/5 in 49.3 overs (M Raj 94*, P Raut 60, H Kaur 50) by 5 wickets
