Image Credit- BCCI
In the second innings of the one-off Test match
between England and India at the DY Patil Stadium, the English were completely
outclassed and lost by an overwhelming 347 runs on the third day. They lost
half of their side in 15 overs, to pace this time, after setting a massive 479
to win. The outcome, which was probably inevitable given that India had gained
a 292-run lead after the first innings, was confirmed in the day’s first
extended session.
With skipper Harmanpreet Kaur finishing at 44 not out,
she was unable to reach a half-century, but India declared on their
second-inning total of 186 for 6 overnight, taking an overall advantage of 478.
The onus then shifted to India’s fast bowlers Renuka Thakur and Pooja Vastrakar
to assume control.
With Sophia Dunkley and Tammy Beaumont at the top
being cautious, England’s start wasn’t too dreadful. They proceeded with little
incident through the first six overs with mild swing, but on the final ball of
the seventh over, Thakur struck one that pitched straight and in line with off
stump, going past Beaumont’s outside edge to strike timber.
After seven overs, that made it 27 for 1, and by the
middle of the fourteenth, England were 68 for 4, with Vastrakar doing most of
the damage. She had Dunkley slicing to gully with great force in her opening
over, but Harleen Deol, standing in for the injured Shubha Satheesh, made a
quick catch. The huge one appeared on the next ball. Vastrakar managed to get
the ball to nip in from outside off to strike the stumps, even though Nat
Sciver-Brunt appeared to have the line covered.
Shortly after, Heather Knight nicked one outside off
to Yastika Bhatia behind the stumps, setting up Vastrakar’s third. If England
thought it was bad enough, Deepti Sharma, the match’s most outstanding player
overall for India, made it even worse by dismissing Danni Wyatt and Amy Jones
in consecutive overs (after Sneh Rana made a brilliant catch in the slips) and
the signs were obvious.