England Women vs. Sri Lanka Women: 1st ODI review
England restricted Sri Lanka to 187 for 9 to seal a tight, 5-run victory in the opening One Day International of their limited-over series played at the Nondescripts Ground in Colombo on Monday, 15th of November.
Half-century of the wicketkeeper batsman Claire Taylor helped the visitors gain some respect as seamer Deepika Rasangika scythed through the England batting line up to finish with 4 for 38. All-rounder Jennifer Louise Gunn well complimented
the fluent wicketkeeper in her efforts as the duo held the middle-order of tourists together to drag the side towards a defendable total of 192. Later a tight final over from Gunn secured the result for England.
Shashikala Siriwardene, the Sri Lanka captain, after winning the toss opted to bowl first. England, after being put in to bat, made a stammering start to their subcontinent tour as opener Heather http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Knight-c71599, after struggling with three
balls, was bowled out by left-arm pacer Rukshala Dharmasiri without a single run. Heather Knight was soon followed by the skipper Charlotte Edwards and Lydia Greenway for single digit figures as the tourists faltered to 47 for 3. Edwards tested 32 deliveries
to compile 4 runs while left-handed Greenway scored 24-ball 7.
However, by that time Claire Taylor, who came at one-down position had set well to repair the England’s innings. Lydia Greenway’s dismissal brought http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Taylor-c92915; the duo shared a
half-century partnership to ease the nerves of visitors. Both Taylor and Gunn added 86 runs to the scorecard for the 4th wicket partnership bringing 100-up for the side.
The hosts had to wait for the next 16 overs for another success as 26-year-old right-arm medium pacer Rasangika struck back to claim three wickets in two overs as the tourists slipped to 143 for 6. Off the three, fluent Taylor was
the first victim of Rasangika who was caught by Dolawatte for her painstaking 73. The 93-ball innings of Taylor contained mostly singles and doubles as it included only two boundaries. Debutant Fran http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Wilson-c98046 was also caught behind off Rasangika for a first ball
duck. England kept on losing wickets at regular intervals thereafter. Only Laura Marsh and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Anya-Shrubsole-c45269 resisted before the tourists and were bowled out in the final over.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 went off to an impressive run chase with the opening pair of Chamari Polgampola and Chamari Atapattu setting a solid foundation of 64 runs. The seam attack of England failed to trouble the opening pair even after trying for
16 overs. In the 17th over, the right-arm off-break Danielle Hazell earned her side first breakthrough when she sent back Chamari Jayangani having caught by Louise Gunn for 30. After the first success English spinners, Edwards, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Danielle-Hazell-c52362 and
Laura Marsh, ran through the middle order of Sri Lanka and soon the hosts were reeling at 86 for 5 from 64-0. Despite of losing five quick wickets Eshani Kaushalya and wicketkeeper batsman Dilani Manodara tried to brush off the loss with a 52-run partnership
and brought Sri Lanka back into the game.
The hosts were just 55 runs behind the target with more than eight overs and five wickets in hand when Isa Guha bowled Manodara for 26. The lower order somehow managed to keep up the run rate. Sripali Weerakkody smashed a fine knock
of 19 runs from just 16 deliveries hitting a boundary and a six. But the remarkable bowling from Gunn in the tight final over held the hosts to 187 for 9 bagging a narrow 5-run win to her side.
The teams will face off in the second and final ODI at the P Sara Oval in Colombo tomorrow before taking on each other in a three-match T20 series starting from 19th of November at the Nondescripts Ground.
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