India on their tour of England after losing the 3-match T20I series 1-2, made a strong comeback during the ODI leg which had them come to Lord’s for the final and the 3rd ODI with a 2-0 sealed series lead. The low-scoring game at Lord’s was an action-packed one that had all that one asks for including a good dose of unnecessary controversy.
1st innings: India – 169/10 (45.4)
India put in to bat first had Shafali Verma’s poor run of form this time around register a 5-ball duck. As opener Smriti Mandhana held an end tight, witnessed wickets tumble on the other as Yastika Bhatia, Harmanpreet Kaur and Harleen Kaur departed on respective scores of 0(2), 4(9) and 3(5) which saw India 4 down for 29 in 8.4 overs. Smriti Mandhana was joined by Deepti Sharma and India had the partnership they were after as the two put on a crucial 58-run stand that came to a close with the wicket of a set Smriti Mandhana on 50(79). Dayalan Hemalatha depart early on the score of 2(17) and Pooja Vastrakar then alongside Deepti Sharma who soon got to her 50* stitched a crucial 40-run stand. Tailenders; Jhulan Goswami, Renuka Singh and Rajeshwari Gayakwad departed with ducks to their name and Deepti unbeaten on 68(106) had guided India to a decent total of 169.
England with the ball had Kate Cross create all the early chaos and went on to finish as the side’s best on the show with figures of 10-2-26-4. She on the wickets chart was followed by Freya Kemp and Sophie Ecclestone who’d bagged a couple each and Charlie Dean and Freya Davies as they had a wicket each to their name.
Take a bow, legend Jhulan Goswami
Picked up 2 wickets in her last international match
You make us proud, very proud!#ENGvIND #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/1j6gHc0pD4
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) September 24, 2022
2nd innings: England – 153/10 (43.3)
England in reply were off to a decent start, but had lost the wicket of set and striking Emma Lamb on 21(29) with 27 on board. It wasn’t long before Renuka Singh Thakur had her second as Tammy Beaumont on 8(21) walked back. England lost as many as 5 more wickets in quick succession as Alice Capsey on 5(8), Sophia Dunkley on 7(12), Danni Wyatt on 8(4), Sophie Ecclestone on 0(3) and Freya Kemp on 5(10) walked back and England found themselves in deep trouble as the scorecard read 65/7 (17). Skipper Amy Jones got the much-needed partnership alongside Charlie Dean and just as England edged past 100, Renuka Singh Thakur got India a breakthrough in dismissing Jones on 28(50). A gritty-going Dean got a handy 10 from Kate Cross and Freya Davies for the final wicket partnership put on a 35-run stand that came to an end with the wicket of Dean on 47(80) on the non-strikers’ end as Deepti Sharma initiated the Mankad on skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s indication. England were bowled out for 153 and India with the controversial final-wicket plot bagged the game by 16 runs and exit the series with a 3-0 clean sweep.
Wicket in her final over – can it get any special than that? 😍👏#ThankYouJhulan pic.twitter.com/R69QCOL2Mt
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) September 24, 2022
India with the ball had Renuka Singh Thakur lead the English downfall as she registered figures of 10-1-29-4. Jhulan Goswami put a full stop to her career with figures of 10-3-30-2 and equally magnificent spells from Deepti Sharma and Rajeshwari Gayakwad as they registered respective figures of 7.3-0-24-1 and 10-1-38-2 helped India defend their total.
India beat England by 16 Runs
India clean sweeps ODI series 3-0 #ENGvIND #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/Yp0uQq0y6O
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) September 24, 2022
If not the series, the game deserved to only be remembered for Jhulan Goswami, but with the final-wicket happenings, it isn’t the same anymore. Anyways, Harmanpreet Kaur and Renuka Singh Thakur claimed the Player of the Series and the Match award respectively for being the key architects in India’s 3-0 clean sweep.
