The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : England thumps India

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 03, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Sport

Sport - Cricket

England thumps India

Taunton: An abject batting capitulation followed by some inept bowling completed the Indian women’s cricket team’s cup of woes as England spanked it by 10 wickets to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match ODI series.

Having lost the series opener at Bath, the Mithali Raj’s side needed a vastly improved show to bounce back in the series but its batters came a cropper while the bowlers cut a sorry figure to served the match on a platter to the host at the County Ground here on Monday.

Mithali’s decision to bat first boomeranged and barring the skipper, who struck an unbeaten 53 (120b, 4x4) and Asha Rawat (11), no other batter could reach double digits and as many as four of them had duck against their names. In fact, the second highest score came from extras, 17.

Poor start

For England, Katherine Brunt (three for 14) dealt early blows by removing opener Sulakshana Naik (0), Devika Palshikar (4) and Amita Sharma (6) and in between Isa Guha castled Jaya Sharma for a duck to leave India tottering at 11 for four.

Though Mithali stood tall amid the ruins, she could only watch helplessly from the other end as wickets fell like nine pins.

Left-arm spinner Holly Colvin (four for 20) ran through the middle and lower order and India was shot out for 102 in 45.1 overs.

Chasing a paltry target, England rode on opener Sarah Taylor’s unbeaten 77-ball 75 (7x4, 1x6) to overhaul the target in 24.3 overs. Caroline Atkins remained unbeaten on 24.

The scores: India 102 in 45.1 overs (Mithali Raj 53 n.o., Holly Colvin four for 20) lost to England 103 for no loss in 24.3 overs (Sarah Taylor 75 n.o.). — PTI

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport