Key events
48th over: England 287-9 (Smith 3, Bell 0) That was the last ball of the over. Gaud has figures of 9-1-43-5; she’ll remember this day for a long time.
WICKET! England 287-9 (Filer b Gaud 0)
Five wickets for Kranti Gaud! What a wonderful moment for a fine young bowler. She castled Lauren Filer with an immaculate yorker before bouncing off in celebration. It’s the first five-for of Gaud’s international career – and if she gets another over, she’ll be on a hat-trick for the second time today.
WICKET! England 285-8 (Davidson-Richards c Yadav b Gaud 44)
Alice Davidson-Richards goes down swinging. She scooped Gaud for four and belted six over long-on before picking out deep midwicket. Radha Yadav took a good catch to end a defiant counter-attack from ADR.
47th over: England 275-7 (Davidson-Richards 32, Smith 3) Davidson-Richards thumps a defiant boundary, the first of her innings from the 28th ball. A nice stroke; surely a futile one too. England need 44 from 18 balls.
WICKET! England 267-7 (Ecclestone c Rodrigues b Charani 1)
Ecclestone goes big and goes home. She clunked a full toss from Charani down the ground and was caught beautifully by Rodrigues, running round the boundary from long on. That was a tough chance made to look routine by a fielder of rare brilliance.
46th over: England 266-6 (Davidson-Richards 26, Ecclestone 1) That wicket gives Kranti Gaud the first three-for of her burgeoning ODI career. At 21, she has a seriously bright future.
An outstanding over: one wicket, only two runs. This game is done.
WICKET! England 264-6 (Dean c Rodrigues b Gaud 21)
A brilliant catch from Jemima Rodrigues! Dean cuffed the new bowler Gaud towards long on, where Rodrigues ran in and swooped to take an immaculately judged catch.
India’s fielding has been one of the defining features of the tour, and if they win today – spoiler alert… – it will be in no small part because of two outstanding catches from Deepti Sharma and now Rodrigues.
45th over: England 264-5 (Davidson-Richards 25, Dean 21) Sharma’s last over yields seven runs, which suits India’s just fine. England should have had a seventh delivery but the umpire chose not to call wide when Dean missed a reverse sweep at a full toss outside leg stump. The umpire presumably thought Dean got a slight touch.
England need 55 from 30 balls.
44th over: England 257-5 (Davidson-Richards 21, Dean 19) Perhaps I wrote England off too soon. After some more good running between the wickets early in the over, Dean drags a reverse sweep for four off Charani.
Ten from the over. This is a lovely cameo from Dean, 19 from 11 balls.
43rd over: England 247-5 (Davidson-Richards 17, Dean 13) Dean works Sharma for three successive twos on the leg side. Such skilful batting, not just the placement but also the weight of stroke to ensure the ball didn’t get to the fielder too quickly.
Three twos, three ones = nine from the over. The required rate creeps up to 10.28.
42nd over: England 238-5 (Davidson-Richards 15, Dean 6) An Indian win feels inevitable after the two Brobdingnagian wickets of Sciver-Brunt and Dunkley. It might be a blessing in disguise for England; a series victory against such strong opposition would have papered over a lot of cracks. The start of a new regime is the time to fix them properly.
India’s review unsuccessfully for caught behind when Davidson-Richards misses a leg-side swipe at Charani. Charlie Dean then pings a breezy reverse sweep for four. England need 81 from 48 balls.
41st over: England 229-5 (Davidson-Richards 12, Dean 1) That wicket was a result of four consecutive dot balls from Sharma to Dunkley across two overs. Dunkley panicked and tried to take what would have been a very risky single.
One way or another, Deepti Sharma has played a part in three huge wickets. Dunkley, who had been struggling to get off strike against Sharma, cracked the ball into the covers and started running. She and Davidson-Richards had a stand-off before Dunkley turned and tried to make her ground at the striker’s end. Too late: Gaud’s quick throw allowed Ghosh to do the necessary with Dunkley well short.
WICKET! England 228-5 (Dunkley run out 34)
And it all goes wrong, big-time.
40th over: England 228-4 (Dunkley 34, Davidson-Richards 12) A tempting 46mph delivery from Yadav is reverse swept fine for four by Dunkley, an excellent shot that releases a bit of pressure. Four singles make it a pretty good over for England, albeit one run short of the required rate.
39th over: England 220-4 (Dunkley 28, Davidson-Richards 10) Sharma returns in place of Rawal, whose one over cost nine runs. A terrific over – which ends with three successive dot balls to Dunkley – ratches the required rate to exactly 9. England need 99 from 66 balls.
38th over: England 217-4 (Dunkley 27, Davidson-Richards 8) A top-edged sweep from Davidson-Richards clears short fine leg and goes for a couple. These two are the last recognised batters and for now they’re dealing mainly in low-risk shots for one and occasionally two. The deeper they can take this run-chase, the greater the chances of Charlie Dean or Sophie Ecclestone finishing it off.
37th over: England 210-4 (Dunkley 25, Davidson-Richards 3) Dunkley gets her first boundary with a ferocious pull off the part-time spinner Pratika Rawal. She has manoeuvred the ball so well that she’s going at more than a run a ball despite hitting only one four in 24 balls.
36th over: England 201-4 (Dunkley 17, Davidson-Richards 2) Yadav turns the screw with another boundaryless over, six from it.
Just before her dismissal, Sciver-Brunt swept Sharma firmly round the corner for four; that’s the only boundary England have scored in the last seven overs.
England need 118 from 84 balls.
35th over: England 195-4 (Dunkley 13, Davidson-Richards 0) Deepti Sharma won the first ODI for India with the bat. Today she has dismissed Amy Jones with a sensational catch and now Nat Sciver-Brunt with the ball. It was a filthy delivery, admittedly, but frankly who cares. Some cricketers are blessed with the ability to make things happen.
It was a majestic knock from Sciver-Brunt: 98 from 105 balls, including 74 from the last 57.
WICKET! England 195-4 (Sciver-Brunt c Ghosh b Sharma 98)
This feels like the series-defining moment. Sciver-Brunt was too early on the sweep, with the ball hitting the glove before looping up slowly on the leg side. Ghosh showed superb anticipation and agility to read the flight of the ball, dive forward and take the catch.
The moment Harmanpreet motioned for a review, Sciver-Brunt started walking off the field.
India review for caught behind against Sciver-Brunt!
The bowler Sharma is convinced it’s out. This is the game, right here. In fact Sciver-Brunt is walking!
34th over: England 189-3 (Sciver-Brunt 94, Dunkley 12) Rana’s final over is milked for seven, with England scoring off every delivery except the last. Rana, whose first two overs were maidens, ends with figures of 10-2-57-0.
Dunkley has started busily, going at almost a run a ball (12 from 14) without finding the boundary. This match is fascinatingly poised.
33rd over: England 182-3 (Sciver-Brunt 91, Dunkley 8) Seven from Charani’s over, none in boundaries, with Dunkley taking a single off the last ball to keep strike.
Sciver-Brunt has faced only five deliveries in the last four overs, a division of labour that England need to change if they are to win this game. They need 137 from 102 balls.
32nd over: England 175-3 (Sciver-Brunt 90, Dunkley 2) The wicket means a reversal of pressure, and an increase in India’s fielding intensity. Sciver-Brunt has to scamper to maker her ground after being sent back by Dunkley. I think she’d have been home even with a direct hit but it’s a sign that the mood has changed since Lamb’s dismissal.
31st over: England 171-3 (Sciver-Brunt 87, Dunkley 0) The in-form Sophia Dunkley is the new batter. Even with the required rate creeping back towards eight an over, Dunkley can afford to take half a dozen deliveries to get her eye in.
WICKET! England 170-3 (Lamb b Charani 68)
Lamb is bowled again, except this time the balls do the decent thing and fall off. Twice she tried to slog-sweep Charani and was beaten. The first time the ball straightened past off stump, the second time it trimmed the bails.
That’s a vital wicket for India and the end of a resourceful supporting innings: 68 from 81 balls with five fours.
Lamb is bowled – but the bails stay on
30th over: England 168-2 (Lamb 67, Sciver-Brunt 87) Lamb tries to sweep Rana, is too early on the shot and inadvertently deflects the ball back towards the wicket. It rolls into the stumps – but not with enough force to dislodge the bails.
29th over: England 162-2 (Lamb 62, Sciver-Brunt 86) Charani returns to the attack and drops Lamb first ball. It was a sharp chance – Lamb smacked it back at her – and it burst through the hands.
Sciver-Brunt continues her real-time masterclass with a sweep round the corner for four. That brings up the 150 partnership from 160 balls. England were in all sorts at 22 for 2 after 10 overs; now they are arguably favourites.
28th over: England 152-2 (Lamb 58, Sciver-Brunt 80) The required rate is going down rather than up, always a good sign for the team that is chasing. Lamb sweeps Yadav fiercely towards deep midwicket, where Gaud saves two with a brilliant diving stop.
No boundaries but England still take seven from the over.
27th over: England 145-2 (Lamb 55, Sciver-Brunt 77) NSB has made three centuries in ODI runchases – all against Australia, all in defeats. She looks intent on changing both statistics today. A near faultless innings continues when she dances down to drive Rana to the left of mid-off and away for four.
She’s just too good. She should be made to start every innings on minus 10 or something.
26th over: England 136-2 (Lamb 55, Sciver-Brunt 69) Lamb lifts Yadav expertly over midwicket for four, a shot of such brilliance that at first I thought it was Sciver-Brunt.
England are 13 runs ahead of India at the same stage. India will be concerned but they know that one wicket, especially NSB, would instantly make them strong favourites.
Emma Lamb hits her fourth ODI fifty
25th over: England 129-2 (Lamb 50, Sciver-Brunt 67) Rana drops fractionally short and is clattered to the cover boundary by Sciver-Brunt. She’s just so good. The last half an hour has been a clinic in how to score at a strike rate of 150 with minimal risk.
NSB is receiving valuable support from Lamb, who sweeps successive deliveries for four and two to reach an excellent fifty from 63 balls. A strike rate of 79 is excellent, especially as she’s not a naturally attacking player of spin.
23rd over: England 115-2 (Lamb 41, Sciver-Brunt 62) Another change: Yadav for Gaud, whose second spell of two overs was feasted upon by Sciver-Brunt.
India enquire for LBW when Lamb gets in a tangle trying a reverse lap. Good thing they didn’t go for a review as replays show a clear top edge.
23rd over: England 111-2 (Lamb 39, Sciver-Brunt 60) Rana returns and is swept round the corner for four by Sciver-Brunt, who is batting with a certainty that will worry her opposite number Harmanpreet.
England still need 7.7 runs an over; this partnership has at least given them a chance.
Fifty from NSB
22nd over: England 105-2 (Lamb 38, Sciver-Brunt 55) Sciver-Brunt works Gaud for a single to reach an accomplished fifty from 67 balls. At one stage she was 3 not out from 26, yet at no stage was there even a hint of panic. From Claire Taylor to Michael Bevan, the greatest ODI finishers have always had the supreme confidence to start slowly when necessary.
NSB continues to catch up by forcing Gaud for another superb boundary between long on and cow corner. That makes it 31 runs from her last 20 balls.
21st over: England 96-2 (Lamb 36, Sciver-Brunt 49) Sharma continues around the wicket to Lamb, who skips down to chip a superb boundary back over the bowler’s head. That certainly didn’t look forced; it was a beautiful stroke.
This is a good spell for England, who have scored 38 from the last five overs and 74 from the last 11.
20th over: England 88-2 (Lamb 30, Sciver-Brunt 47) Kranti Gaud replaces Yadav, which means a change of pace in the bowling. But not Sciver-Brunt’s scoring: after a slow start she is playing beautifully and crashes another boundary between long on and cow corner. Perfectly placed.
Sciver-Brunt scored 24 from her first 49 deliveries; she’s hit 23 in the last 15.
19th over: England 80-2 (Lamb 29, Sciver-Brunt 40) Deepti Sharma references the Mankad of 2022 by stopping in her delivery stride and watching Emma Lamb leave her crease. Sharma’s gesture seemed at least partially playful, though it’s hard to be sure when you don’t have access to the stump mic.
A couple of lofted shots, one from each batter, tease the India fielders before dropping safely. Seven from the over. Lamb has done pretty well but her last boundary was in the 11th over; her attacking strokes against spin look slightly forced.
18th over: England 73-2 (Lamb 24, Sciver-Brunt 38) Sciver-Brunt drives Yadav beautifully over mid-off for four, the best shot of the innings to date. Three singles make it a pretty good over for England; they are still behind the game but Sciver-Brunt is going through the gears.
17th over: England 66-2 (Lamb 23, Sciver-Brunt 32) Back comes Deepti Sharma. Sciver-Brunt bashed a boundary under mid-on, though at first it looked like she was going to be caught. The ball dipped and then scuttled under Deol as she dived forward.
16th over: England 57-2 (Lamb 22, Sciver-Brunt 24) Ghosh is okay to continue, at least for now.
15.5 overs: England 57-2 (Lamb 22, Sciver-Brunt 24) A leg-side wide from Yadav hits Ghosh painfully on the left hand. There’s a break in play while she receives treatment.
Drinks: Lamb and Sciver-Brunt rebuild
15th over: England 55-2 (Lamb 22, Sciver-Brunt 23) Left-arm spin from both ends now, with Charani continuing. Sciver-Brunt reverse laps for two, a skilful shot but one she had to fetch from outside leg stump, and England take eight from the over without recourse to boundaries.
There was a run-out review against Lamb; replays confirmed the naked-eye impression that she was comfortably home.
Time for drinks. When play resumes, England will need 264 runs from 35 overs.
14th over: England 47-2 (Lamb 18, Sciver-Brunt 19) Yadav has another LBW appeal turned down against Sciver-Brunt. This one was more adjacent but there was an inside-edge.
Sciver-Brunt is not out! I called it correctly but my working was hopeless: the ball pitched on middle and leg, in fact, and would have slid past leg stump on the angle.
Sciver-Brunt missed a sweep at a very full delivery from the left-arm spinner Yadav. This is closer than I thought…
India review for LBW against Sciver-Brunt
I thought it pitched outside leg but the bowler – Radha Yadav, just into the attack – was very keen and talked Harmanpreet into a review.
13th over: England 42-2 (Lamb 15, Sciver-Brunt 17) With the essential caveat that I wouldn’t give England’s chances much more than tuppence, Lamb and Sciver-Brunt are playing this pretty well. They took time to adjust to the pitch, knowing that another early wicket would have been terminal, and now they are picking up at least a single off most deliveries.
In essence, while Sciver-Brunt is at the crease and England are no more than six or seven wickets down, they have an outside chance. Not a puncher’s chance, because we’ve had enough boxing for one day.
12th over: England 38-2 (Lamb 13, Sciver-Brunt 15) Sciver-Brunt sweeps Rana for four, an expertly placed shot to the right of short fine leg.
There’s still plenty to do but England have started to up the tempo. They’ve scored more runs in the last 14 deliveries than they did in the first 58.
11th over: England 30-2 (Lamb 12, Sciver-Brunt 9) The left-arm spinner Shree Charani replaces Kranti Gaud, who bowled an outstanding spell of 5-1-12-2. Lamb slices her first delivery past short third for a rare boundary, and four singles make it a decent over for England. The scoreboard has started to move.
