News
Wed 13 Aug 2014, 11:59 pm
Summary
Bowlers rule on first day as both line-ups crumble
The day belonged to bowlers at Sir Paul Getty’s ground as 16 wickets fell on the first day of the Test match between England and India women. India were trailing by five runs with four wickets in hand after the N Niranjana-led attack bundled England out for a measly 92 on Day 1 of the four-day game. The pacer dealt early blows to reduce the hosts on 28/3 at the end of 14 overs after Mithali Raj opted to field at Wormsley. Bowling in tandem the Indian bowling attack skittled the opposition out in 41.2 overs as Niranjana finished with a four-wicket haul. Jenny Gunn then led the England attack to turn the tables on India and leave the match poised at stumps with India on 87/6. Gunn too finished with four wickets at the end of day’s play. The Indian openers Thirush Kamini and Smriti Mandhana put together 40 runs until Jenny Gunn ended the stand and triggered a collapse. She induced an edge off Kamini to the wicketkeeper and Kate Cross bowled Poonam Raut for a duck four runs later. Gunn then claimed Mandhana and Raj of her successive overs to leave the visitors struggling on 49/4. Anya Shrubsole trapped K Jain leg-before for naught to leave the match hanging in balance. And 14-runs later Harmanpreet Kaur was Gunn’s fourth wicket. However, Jhulan Goswami (13*) and Niranjana (13*) batted watchfully to take India to stumps without further lapses. Earlier, Niranjana running in with the new ball dealt the first blow in the third over to remove Heather Knight with just one run on the board. 19 runs later she had Lauren Winfield edge to the wicketkeeper and in her next trapped Charlotte Edwards lbw. Tammy Beaumont was the next to be sent back after being adjudged leg before off Shikha Pandey. The hosts did not recover from the early blows and lost wickets in a rush. Lydia Greenway was Niranjana’s next scalp leaving England on 49/5. Next to return to the pavilion was Sarah Taylor. England’s top-scorer in the innings, the wicketkeeper-bat was sent back by Jhulan Goswami for 30. A run later, S Sharma claimed Natalie Sciver and Anya Shrubsole in the same over. Ekta Bisht then followed up with the wicket of Sonia Odedra while Pandey ran out Kate Cross to wrap-up the England innings. Brief scores: Day 1: England 1st inn 92 all out in 41.2 overs (S Taylor 30, N Niranjana 4/19, S Sharma 2/12); India 1st inn 87/6 in 47 overs (J Goswami 13*, N Niranjana 13*, J Gunn 4/13)



