Cricket
England lose first women’s Test at Lord’s by 270 runs
The historic first women’s Test at Lord’s ended 95 minutes into the final day after England lost by 270 runs to India despite stubborn resistance by Sophie Ecclestone.
Set an improbable victory target of 457, after a superb century by Yastika Bhatia to become the first female batter on the honours board at the home of cricket, Charlotte Edwards watched England collapse to 59 for five on Sunday night.
Low scores for retiring duo Tammy Beaumont and Heather Knight raised the possibility of a dispiriting day three defeat at the end of a memorable summer, but Amy Jones joined forces with Mady Villiers (26) and the England wicket-keeper made it to the close on 52 not out.
When Jones was dismissed only 18 balls into the fourth and final day after England resumed on 130 for six, the end was nigh.
But Ecclestone battled away, enjoyed some luck after two drops and made a maiden Test half-century before she was last batter out to Sneh Rana.
It sparked jubilant celebrations from India in front of nation great Sachin Tendulkar, who had provided a pep-talk for the team on Monday morning.
Rana’s four for 42 enabled India to dismiss England for 186 at 12.35pm on day four.
After a summer to savour with an impressive run to the T20 World Cup final which ended in heartbreak, Jones’ second fifty of the match ensured England did not finish a jam-packed period with defeat inside three days at Lord’s.
England’s hopes of getting through to lunch appeared to rely squarely on the shoulders of Jones but from the 18th ball of the morning, she pulled Rana’s drag-down to Shafali Verma at midwicket.
A crestfallen Jones walked off for 54, but Ecclestone hit the next delivery for four with a beautiful drive.
Ecclestone should have gone two overs later when she chased after a wide ball from Kranti Gaud, who claimed a first-innings five-wicket haul to dismiss England for 170 in reply to India’s 285, but Rana spilled a simple chance.
Big cheers from the sparse crowd at Lord’s occurred when Tendulkar emerged on TV screens and he watched Bhatia let Ecclestone’s next edge off Gaud slip through her grasp to run away for four.
The boundary ensured England moved beyond the second-biggest margin of defeat in a women’s Test of 309 runs, which Pakistan suffered in 1998 at the hands of Sri Lanka.
Issy Wong got off the mark with an inside edge off her 23rd ball, but India captain Harmanpreet Kaur turned to Deepti Sharma and she bowled Wong to leave England on 157 for eight.
A wonderful turning delivery by Sharma accounted for Lauren Bell soon after, but two unsuccessful reviews by the tourists ensured Ecclestone made it to a maiden Test fifty with a nudge for a single off the 22nd over of the day.
Ecclestone’s excellent innings ended on 50 off 66 balls when Rana breached her defence to send a delivery crashing into off-stump and earn India a famous victory at Lord’s.
