Sophie Ecclestone became England Women’s leading wicket-taker across all formats as the hosts dismissed India for 285 on a see-saw opening day of the historic first women’s Test at Lord’s.
Spin bowler Ecclestone (3-68) removed all-rounder Deepti Sharma (57) and tailenders Sayali Satghare (1) and Kranti Gaud (1) to increase her haul across 10 Tests, 84 ODIs and 113 T20Is to 338, above previous record holder Katherine Sciver-Brunt (335).
Only India’s Deepti (357) and compatriot Jhulan Goswami (355) have more wickets in women’s internationals than Ecclestone, with the England star also eclipsing Australia great Ellyse Perry (336) during her late-innings burst in London on Friday evening.
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Sophie Ecclestone became England’s leading wicket-taker across all formats of international cricket as she struck three times on day one against India at Lord’s
Ecclestone’s three breakthroughs came amid India losing their final four wickets for 11 runs after a previous wobble of 3-39 from 190-3 once an 89-run stand between Smriti Mandhana (83) and captain Harmanpreet Kaur (58) had been broken as the set batters and the hard-hitting Richa Ghosh (13) fell.
England came out to bat around 45 minutes before stumps with Tammy Beaumont – playing her last match for her country after a 17-year international career – pinned lbw for two by Gaud, who would also have ousted Heather Knight (1no) on one in the same fashion had India reviewed, with her delivery poised to clatter the stumps.
The hosts closed on 21-1 from 11 overs – Maia Bouchier is 17 not out after a brace of boundaries – cutting their deficit to 264.
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Tammy Beaumont was trapped lbw for two in what is likely her penultimate England innings
The day was also notable for an excellent 19-over spell from England debutant Maddy Villiers, whose 2-79 included bowling Harmanpreet through the gate with a gem of a delivery on the cusp of tea.
England battle back with the ball at Lord’s
Lauren Filer (2-40) struck in just the second over of the match while fellow seamer Lauren Bell (1-50) – one of six players in the XI to figure in Sunday’s T20 World Cup final defeat to Australia at Lord’s – made a breakthrough at the end of the seventh as India slipped to 37-2.
However, Mandhana shared half-century stands with Jemimah Rodrigues (35) and captain Harmanpreet (58), while Deepti’s knock rallied India from 229-6 before the innings ended in a hurry.
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Lauren Filer picked up the first wicket in a Women’s Test at Lord’s as she had Shafali Verma caught behind for a duck
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Watch how Lauren Bell bowled India’s Yasika Bhatia in the morning session
England, who handed a Test debut to all-rounder Alice Capsey as well as Villiers, were wayward with the ball in the morning session and perhaps fortunate to end up bagging three wickets.
Shafali Verma (0) edged Filer behind, Yastika Bhatia (12) had her off stump knocked back by Bell and Rodrigues dragged a driveable delivery from Issy Wong (2-41) on to her stumps.
There was far greater accuracy after lunch, with Wong rewarded for a particularly probing spell when she induced an edge behind from Mandhana shortly after a pause in play due to Harmanpreet suffering from cramp.
Livewire off-spinner Villiers – who has played 22 white-ball matches for her country – cleaned up Harmanpreet with a sharply-turning delivery, while she later trapped Sneh Rana (13) lbw.
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England off-spinner Mady Villiers’ maiden Test wicket on debut was a ripper through the gate to bowl Harmanpreet Kaur
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Issy Wong secured the huge wicket of Smriti Mandhana, with the India opener falling 17 runs short of a century
Mandhana, Deepti among those to fire for India
Mandhana profited from England’s morning looseness to notch a 50-ball half-century – her sixth fifty-plus score across nine Tests – with her innings including trademark gorgeous cover-driven boundaries as well as powerful pulls.
Deepti’s fifty, which ended when she failed to get the elevation to clear Knight at midwicket and holed out off Ecclestone, was her fifth in Tests and could prove crucial come the final analysis.
Deepti Sharma hit a half-century for India at Lord’s
Around dismissing Deepti, Ecclestone pinned Satghare leg before and castled Gaud, while Filer’s second wicket of day came when she had Gosh flicking to Wong at deep fine leg off the bottom of the bat.
This is the 16th Women’s Test between England and India, with the previous 15 seeing 11 draws, three India victories – including the most recent meeting in Mumbai in December 2023 – and a sole England triumph in Jamshedpur way back in 1995.
After day one at Lord’s, the latest instalment remains in the balance.
Wong: England have had a brilliant day
England fast bowler Issy Wong, speaking to Sky Sports Cricket:
“I think we’ve had a brilliant day. When you win the toss and bowl, getting yourself into a position where you bowl the opposition out before the end of play is a really good effort.
Wong recorded figures of 2-41 at Lord’s on Friday
“All of the bowlers chipped in, so we’re really happy. There’s enough in the pitch, enough movement off the seam.
“[Villiers] bowled unbelievably. It’s been a long time coming for here as she’s obviously played the other two formats a while ago.
“We were all buzzing for her to come back in, get the whites on and show exactly why she’s in the team. She bowled fantastically.”
Watch day two of the standalone Women’s Test between England and India at Lord’s live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.30am on Saturday (11am first ball). Stream cricket contract-free with NOW.
