Beaumont, Sciver shine as England register easy win over India in first ODI

Bristol - Chasing 202, England got off to a solid start as they raced to 61/1 in 10 overs

Half-centuries from Tammy Beaumont and Natalie Sciver helped England women’s team register an easy win over India in the first ODI on Sunday.

England defeated India by eight wickets as the hosts chased down the target of 202 runs quite easily to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Chasing 202, England got off to a solid start as they raced to 61/1 in 10 overs. Jhulan Goswami dismissed Lauren Winfield-Hill in the fifth over but England continued scoring at a brisk rate.

Ekta Bisht struck in the 16th over to jolt England’s chase but Tammy Beaumont and Natalie Sciver ensured the hosts didn’t suffer any further hiccups as they chase down the target quite comfortably.

While Beaumont smashed her fourth consecutive ODI fifty, Sciver hit a stylish half-century to make sure England were never out in the chase. The duo scripted an unbeaten 119-run stand as Indian bowlers looked completely clueless in the first ODI.

Earlier put in to bat first, India scored 201 in 50 overs despite skipper Mithali Raj’s gutsy half-century after Sophie Ecclestone picked three while Katherine Brunt and Anya Shrubsole scalped two wickets to dent visitors innings.

India were 84/4 at one stage but Mithali played a cautious knock to ensure the visitors get to a respectable total. The Indian skipper, who hit her 56th ODI fifty, had upped the ante when she was settled but got out in the 46th over.

India got off to a bad start as the side lost both Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma inside ten overs.

Shafali Verma got out after scoring a quick 15 on her ODI debut while Smriti Mandhana was cleaned bowled by Anya Shrubsole in the tenth over.

Skipper Mithali Raj and Punam Raut then stitched a 56-run stand to revive India’s innings. However, Kate Cross ended Raut’s stint at the crease in the 26th over.

Harmanpreet Kaur’s dismissal a few minutes later put India on the back foot again as the visitors got reduced to 84/4 after losing two quick wickets.

But Mithali kept patience and played a slow knock to keep India in the game. The Indian skipper along with Deepti Sharma stitched a 65-run stand.

England bowlers dismissed both Deepti and Mithali before they could unleash an array of shots in the death overs.

In the end, India was only able to score 201 in the allotted 50 overs. The visitors added just 21 runs after skipper Mithali’s dismissal in the 46th over.

Brief Scores: India Women 201/8 (Mithali Raj 72, Punam Raut 32; Sophie Ecclestone 3/40) vs England 202/2 (Tammy Beaumont 87, Natalie Sciver 74; Jhulan Goswami 1-25 )