Trisha Ghosal in Leeds
A 91-ball century from Harleen Deol lit up India Women’s first warm-up fixture on their England tour, but it wasn’t enough to overhaul the ECB Women Select XI’s daunting 353 for 5. Despite several promising knocks in the chase, India finished on 335 for 9, losing by 18 runs in a high-scoring encounter that offered a good early test for the tourists.
ECB Openers Dominate Early
Opting to bowl, India were on the back foot from the start as Emma Lamb and Maia Bouchier stitched together a 196-run opening stand. Both looked in supreme touch, with Bouchier racing to a 104 off 84 balls before retiring, while Lamb fell agonisingly short of her century for 94.
Shree Charani eventually broke the stand and emerged as the most successful Indian bowler, finishing with figures of 3 for 71. However, support was thin as the ECB batters cashed in. India’s seamers and spinners alike struggled for control as the hosts surged past 350 in their 50 overs.
Early Wickets in the Chase
India’s reply began with a stutter as Smriti Mandhana fell early to Mahika Gaur, followed by Shafali Verma’s dismissal for 16. But Harleen Deol steadied the innings, looking in complete control from ball one. Her shot selection was precise, placement immaculate, and boundaries flowed as she brought up a fluent hundred before retiring on exactly 100.
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Middle Order Keeps India in the Hunt
Deol was well supported by Yastika Bhatia, who made 32, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who chipped in with a brisk 54 off 47 balls. As the asking rate crept past eight an over, India kept finding timely boundaries, but also lost wickets at regular intervals. Sarah Glenn and Mady Villiers made crucial breakthroughs as Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh fell during the middle phase.
Late Surge Not Enough
Amanjot Kaur’s aggressive 43 off 32 balls and Arundhati Reddy’s unbeaten 30 kept hopes alive, but the finish line proved too far. India eventually closed on 335 for 9, showing depth in the line-up but also exposing areas for improvement ahead of the ODI series.
Plenty of positives nonetheless as India gear up for the rest of their England tour. They will be playing a T20 match against ECB Development XI Women tomorrow.
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