England are hurtling towards a seemingly inevitable defeat to India in the historic Women’s Test at Lord’s after closing on 130-6 in a record chase of 457, with Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont out cheaply in their final knocks before international retirement.
After being set a world-record target – far beyond the highest successful chase in a Women’s Test, the 198 Australia knocked off against England at Sydney in 2011 – the hosts plummeted to 59-5 inside 20 overs on a sun-kissed Sunday in London.
Opener Beaumont was bowled for a golden duck by the relentless Kranti Gaud, who went on to have Knight caught behind off an inside edge for 13 as two of England’s greats – both of whom were given guards of honour by India after being dismissed – bowed out.
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Heather Knight’s England career came to a close after she was caught behind off India seamer Kranti Gaud
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Watch the moment Beaumont was given a guard of honour after being cleaned up by Gaud
Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt (11) was cleaned up on the sweep by Sneh Rana, one ball after overturning an lbw, while Maia Bouchier (2) unwisely played back to Sayali Sathgare to be pinned in front before the same seamer castled Alice Capsey (21) with a jaffa.
Amy Jones (52no) – who successfully reviewed an lbw dismissal on 34 en route to her second fifty of the game – and Mady Villiers (26) delayed the visitors’ march to victory with a stubborn sixth-wicket stand of 67 from 105 balls prior to Villiers being superbly caught by Richa Ghosh at mid-off in the dying embers of the day.
England were set a world-record 457 to win the Women’s Test
India should wrap things up promptly on day four, when entry is free for spectators, and secure back-to-back Test wins over England after a 347-run victory in Navi Mumbai in 2023.
Since an opening day that was arguably honours even, India have utterly bossed this game and moved from their overnight 154-1 to 341-7 before visiting skipper Harmanpreet Kaur eventually put England out of their misery by declaring around 3.10pm local time.
Harmanpreet called time as soon as Ghosh (50no off 52) clinched a half-century – the batter the third player in the innings to pass fifty after Smriti Mandhana (70) and Yastika Bhatia (113), with the latter the first woman to notch a Test ton at Lord’s.
More to follow.
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