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Sneh Rana, Taniya Bhatia help India women walk away with draw against England

Sneh Rana played a gritty knock of 80 runs in the second innings of the one-off Test as India women were able to walk away with a draw against England here at the County Ground, Bristol.

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At one stage, India women found themselves at 199/7, but the lower-order scripted a memorable fightback and Rana led the charge and with her gritty knock, the Indian side walked away with a draw. In the end, the match ended as a draw and England did not even come out to bat in the second innings.

Resuming Day Four at 83/1, overnight batters Shafali Verma and Deepti Sharma put on 16 more runs to the total, but the stand was finally broken by Sophie Ecclestone as she dismissed Shafali (63) in the 30th over. Punam Raut then came to the middle and along with Deepti, she ensured that India does not lose wickets in a cluster. However, right on the cusp of lunch break, India lost the wicket of Deepti (54) with the score at 171/3 and the visitors also had a slender lead of six runs.

After the lunch break, India was given a big blow as Mithali Raj (4) was sent back to the pavilion by Ecclestone and this brought Harmanpreet Kaur to the middle. Soon after, Raut (39) was sent back to the pavilion by Nat Sciver, and India was reduced to 175/5 and the lead was just 11 runs.

Pooja Vastrakar along with Harmanpreet managed to add just 14 runs to the total as Vastrakar (12) was sent back packing by Heather Knight and India was looking in all sort of trouble. Harmanpreet (8) was then dismissed by Ecclestone and this reduced India to 199/7.

Sneh Rana and Shikha Pandey then got together at the crease and both batters frustrated the England bowlers, putting together a stand of 41 runs but this partnership was finally broken by Nat Sciver as she dismissed Pandey (18). At the tea break, India’s score read 243/8 and the visitors had a lead of 78 runs.

After the tea break, Sneh Rana hit some boundaries in quick succession and as a result, India’s lead went beyond the 100-run mark. Taniya Bhatia provided the needed support to Rana, and in the end, both batters ensured that India walked away with a draw. Bhatiya remained unbeaten on 44. Bhatiya and Rana put on a partnership of 104 runs for the ninth wicket.

Brief Scores: England 396/9d; India 231 and 344/8 (Sneh Rana 80*, Shafali Verma 63, Punam Raut 54, Sophie Ecclestone 4-118).