DEEPTI SHARMA starred with both bat and ball as India thrashed England by 347 runs in their one-off women’s Test on Saturday (16) for their first ever win at home against the rivals.
Sharma, who made 67 in India’s first-innings total of 428, took nine wickets including a red-hot 5-7 in the first innings, with the visitors bowled out for 131 to wrap up the match on the third morning in Mumbai.
Medium-pacer Pooja Vastrakar grabbed 3-23 as England were dismissed cheaply inside 28 overs during an extended first session of play while chasing a mammoth target of 479 runs.
England, bowled out for 136 in their first innings, offered very little fight even in their second outing, losing half their side inside 15 overs at the D Y Patil stadium.
India’s victory margin was the largest by runs in women’s Test cricket and also their first Test win against England at home.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s team took a 292-run first-innings lead after electing to bat first, and declared on their overnight second-innings total of 186-6 for an overall lead of 478.
Nat Sciver-Brunt top-scored with 59 in England’s first innings but was bowled for a duck by Vastrakar in her second stint.
“It’s a proud feeling… we bowled according to plan,” said Sharma, who was named player of the match.
“I was just waiting to bowl and keeping myself warmed up. I got a lot of help from the wicket and I backed myself.”
England’s Heather Knight said India were “outstanding” in the game.
“The way they batted in the first innings is something we can learn a lot from,” she said.
“The conditions (are) something we’re not used to, we were trying to find a way to score runs.”
(AFP)
