England Women v India Women, only Test: Indian eves pull off massive upset, stun England at home

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The Indian team pose for a photo prior to day two of Women's test match between England and India at Wormsley Cricket Ground on August 14, 2014 in High Wycombe, England

Chasing 181 to win the only Test match against England, Indian eves, riding on Smriti Mandhana (51 off 108) and captain Mithali Raj’s half-centuries (50* off 157), eased past the home team with a 6-wicket victory on the fourth day of the match at Sir Paul Getty’s Ground, Wormsley.

First Test in 8 years

A chase of 181, in the context of the match that had seen 92, 114 and 202 as the previous three innings scores, was never going to be easy, more so in alien conditions and when you are playing a Test match after nearly 8 years. Incidentally, Indian women’s cricket team last played a Test series against the same opposition back in 2006, where they created history by winning the two-match Test series 1-0, with pacer bowler Jhulan Goswami, Mithali and wicket-keeper Karu Jain being the only 3 players who have managed to hang around till now.

The opening partnership of 76 runs between Mandhana and Thirush Kamini, which came off 206 deliveries, set the tone for the fourth innings, which Mithali, one of world’s leading batswoman and coming in at number 4, capitalised on despite the fall of 4 quick wickets that saw the team’s score move from 75-0 to 115-4.

Team effort

Put into bat first on bowler-friendly conditions, England were bowled out for 92; however, they made sure it didn’t have too much impact on the game by getting India all out with only a lead of 22 runs. Jenny Gunn, who had picked up 5 Indian wickets, was at it again, in the second innings; the 28-year-old revived her team after a top order collapse, which had left the hosts at 84-6, with an unbeaten 181-ball 62. Sarah Taylor and Lauren Winfield made valuable contributions of 40 and 35 respectively.

Nagarajan Niranjana, the wrecker-in-chief in the first innings picking up 4 wickets for 19 runs in her 14.2 overs, couldn’t add more to her tally in the second innings, but veteran pacer Goswami made up for it by rising to the occasion with figures of 22-5-48-4. Subhlakshmi Sharma, Shikha Pandey, who remained not out at the end scoring 28 off 106 and in turn giving her captain the much needed support, and Ekta Bisht shared 10 English wickets between them, two innings combined.

Scores in brief:

England Women 92 & 202; India Women 114 & 183/4 (95.3 ov)