• Source:JND
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IND-W vs ENG-W 1st ODI: India's star all-rounder Deepti Sharma yet again proved England's tormentor-in-chief as she helped the visitors chase the target by scoring a match-winning knock and helped the team win the match by four wickets during the series opener. With this win, they are currently leading the three-match ODI series by 1-0.

The last time these two teams faced each other in a 50-over format was in England again, where she helped the team win the match by 3-0 with the help of a controversial run-out at Lord's. But on Wednesday, there was no drama as she maintained her composure. She scored an unbeaten knock of 62 runs off 64 balls and helped the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side chase down the target of 258 runs with 10 balls remaining.

Deepti's composure was assisted well by Jemimah Rodrigues, with whom she stitched a 90-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Ridrigues scored a gritty knock of 48 runs and thus fell short of a well-deserved fifty. Their partnership overshadowed the 106-run partnership between Sophia Dunkley and Alice Davidson-Richards, which had helped the hosts bounce back after suffering a top-order batting collapse.

England falter after a bright start

The Nat Scivr-Brunt-led side had a disappointing start. Openers Amy Jones and Tammy Beaumont were dismissed early as the youngster Kranti Goud took their wicket during hr first over. Goud too had a disappointing start as she had bowled her first three balls as wides and then bowled a peachy delivery which nipped back sharply and bowled Jones out, and then dismissed Beaumont by lbw.

Nat Scover-Brunt, who made a comeback to the side after recovering from a groin injury, and Emma Lamb helped the team bounce back by stitching a partnership of 71 runs, even though they were struggling to hit fours. The Indian bowlers dominated during the middle overs as they mixed their line lengths brilliantly. Sneh Rana was the pick among the bowlers as she registered match-winning figures of 2/31 in the 10 overs that she bowled. She had dismissed both Lamb and Sciver-Brunt during a span of two overs as Lamb was caught at mid-off and Rodrigues took a low catch of Sciver-Brunt while standing at short midwicket.

Dunkley and Davidson-Richards then helped the hosts bounce back. Dunkley, who survived nervy dismissals on 23 and 43, scored a brilliant knock of 83 runs off 92 balls. Davidson-Richards also made a significant contribution of 53 runs. Amanjot Kaur then dismissed Dunkley on the last ball of the first innings, whereas Sophie Ecclestone too scored a gritty knock of 23 runs off 19 balls and helped the team post a target of 258/6.

The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side felt that they could have skittled the hosts out sooner. Kranti Goud dropped Davidson-Richards' catch when she had scored 16 runs, and Mandhana dropped a sitter, which might have helped them to take Sciver-Brunt's catch.

India recovered after a mid-innings wobble

The visitors started their chase on a high as Smriti Mandhana had smashed four fours in her knock of 28 runs off 24 balls, and then was dismissed by Lauren Bell. Pratika Rawal too made a significant contribution of 36 runs off 51 balls, and then Sophie Ecclestone took her wicket.