Random Women's Cricket Thread

[Durhamfootman]

India have bowled one wide to date

England conceded 19 runs to wides

[alfie]

A very disappointing show from England , following some good stuff against NZ. (Though have to give credit to some fine aggressive batting from the Indian 3 and 4 Bhatia and Rodrigues , after the early loss of both openers)

I get that England are still experimenting - and awaiting the return of NSB and DWH which should make a difference. But the way the bowling and fielding fell away in the face of an onslaught by those two bats was somewhat concerning.

Leaving Smith out to give others some game time had a huge negative effect on the bowling plans. Normally she'd have followed that excellent opening over from Lauren Bell , and kept the pressure on at 7/2 . Instead we saw Issy Wong deliver one of the worst overs I have ever seen at International level : two sets of five wides along with a bunch of four balls . It completely reversed all momentum and England never really got it back , despite some good work from Dean , and newcomer Corteen-Coleman. (Side note : is it time to worry just a little about Sophie Ecclestone ? Rather expensive again as she has been once or twice recently , while other spinners have done well ... hopefully just a glitch...)

Batting wise Knight isn't exactly flowing at the moment so hopefully she is working up to some form for the WC . Was good to see Jones play a really good knock so we can maybe forgive her botching a clear stumping chance earlier on ... though I'm not sure she bats at three in the full strength side.

One game of t20 so no need to panic. But for the sake of morale I reckon game two will be an important one to regain some confidence so time to put the best XI available on the park.

[Durhamfootman]

Knight always feels to me like an accumulator, who stabilises one end and encourages the other batter to tee off.

Sophie E has been open recently about her mental health struggles and the negative impact it had on her game. She says she's in a better place now, which is good, so perhaps her form will improve.

Talk from the camp seems to suggest that NSB will play in the WC. It may be that she only bats, so we wait and see. She is running again apparently

I don't think DWH has played any T20 since the WBBL at the end of last year. Hobart opened with her, and she did well. Surrey have used her lower down the order in the 50 over stuff, where she seemed very effective, so that's a decision England will have to make if she plays

[Durhamfootman]

England seem to be closing this game out very well

They took 39 runs in the last 2 overs themselves to get to a decent 168. India can't replicate that. 32 required off the last over.

England tightened the game, restricted the scoring in the middle overs and India have lost a lot of wickets trying unsuccessfully to break free

Very happily for me, because I hate the practice, Kaur made the decision to retire Yastika out on 33 off 36 at the end of the 15th over, to get Rodrigues in and ever since it's been a procession of India wickets. Rodrigues lasted 2 balls. I have no idea what Yastika thought of all that, but if it was me, I'd be chuffed to bits at that collapse. Serves them right

Good win for England

[Durhamfootman]

Charlie Dean the pick of the bowlers with 2-20

Freya Kemp the pick of the batters with 39 off 13 right at the end

[alfie]

Unable to watch this : with Australia in action in Pakistan , local TV reasonably enough had their cricket channel otherwise occupied. But from reports seems England were better organised this time : imagine having Smith back balanced the attack better and all the batters contributed enough so that Kemp had a nice platform to tee off at the death ? Guess that is her job in this line-up and she executed it very well so has sealed her spot for the WC if it were in any doubt.

Team for the WC looking like this XI with one bat dropping out for NSB ? If she can't bowl - or only minimally - it will be essential to play both Kemp and Gibson to back up Bell and the three spinners ; so looks to me the last spot is between Capsey and Dunkley ( I would favour Capsey ). Suppose they could leave out Knight but I reckon that would be daft. She won't set strike rate records but I'd prefer her against tough opposition over the more flighty young ones... Corteen-Coleman has impressed me in her brief appearances but with all the spin options available I reckon she will have to wait and warm the bench with Filer and Wong.

Doesn't look a bad team...

[Durhamfootman]

Bouchier too, I think

maybe?

[Durhamfootman]

No, I’m wrong. Not in the squad

[andy]

England win the toss and choose to bowl in the final match of the series and remain unchanged

[Durhamfootman]

180-5

England unable to strangle the rate once the big hitters were out

Fair bit of work to do

[Durhamfootman]

early wickets lost, but England are 115-3 after 12 overs. India were 108-4, I think, so England are slightly ahead if they can finish strongly

[Durhamfootman]

Capsey and Knight have put the pedal to the metal. 10 needed off 3 overs

well done to them. No last over heroics from Kemp required

[Durhamfootman]

Capsey out short of the winning total for a rapid 82 off 43

too late for India to prevent a fine 6 wicket win

[alfie]

Yeah watched that on delay... good win chasing a solid total. Capsey and Knight some partnership ! And I reckon that settles the first choice line-up for the WC as 10 of this XI and Nat SB replacing Dunkley.

Only question is who opens with Wyatt-Hodge : could be either Capsey or Jones I guess ; neither of which disturbs the preferred batting order much. I fancy : DWH .Capsey .Jones. NSB. Knight. Kemp. Gibson. Dean. Ecclestone .Smith. Bell as the order ; and you could move it around a bit if needed by particular circumstances , no ?

[andy]

Think capsey opens...can't drop her now and if knight stays where she is then capsey has to open with DWH