England edge thriller to keep T20 series alive

Third T20, The Oval

England 171-9 (20 overs): Dunkley 75 (53); Sharma 3-27

India 166-5 (20 overs): Mandhana 56 (49); Filer 2-30

England won by five runs; India lead series 2-1

England held their nerve to keep the T20 series alive with a thrilling last-ball victory by five runs against India at The Oval.

Chasing 172 to win, India needed 12 from the last over and six off the final ball, but seamer Lauren Bell had opposing captain Harmanpreet Kaur caught at mid-off for 23 – and the hosts now only trail 2-1 in the series with two matches to play.

The tourists, eyeing a series win at the earliest opportunity, were in full control, needing 49 from 42 balls with nine wickets in hand before an eye-catching spell of fast bowling from Lauren Filer changed the course of the game.

Filer had Jemimah Rodrigues caught behind for 20 and star batter Smriti Mandhana, who made 56, was also beaten for pace and caught at mid-on as the quick regularly reached speeds of 79mph.

Harmanpreet’s knock kept India in the hunt but England restricted them to 166-5 despite a flurry of dropped chances in a chaotic ending, setting up a tantalising encounter in the fourth of five T20s at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

England’s first innings also provided plenty of drama, as they raced to 137-0 after fine half-centuries from Sophia Dunkley and Danni Wyatt-Hodge, before losing nine wickets for 31 runs in the space of 4. 4 overs, and finishing with 171-9.

Dunkley made 75 from 53 balls and Wyatt-Hodge struck 66 from 42, but Sophie Ecclestone’s 10 was the only other score in double figures in a collapse which included three batters falling first ball.

England’s top order was under pressure, with opening stands of nine and two in the series so far, but Dunkley and Wyatt-Hodge responded to the pressure in style having been given the freedom to bat first and set a total after stand-in captain Tammy Beaumont won the toss.

They were initially quite cautious, reaching 44-0 from the six-over powerplay, before Dunkley led the acceleration, targeting the leg side and using her feet effectively to the spinners who were put under pressure for the first time.

Wyatt-Hodge followed suit after a slower start as England were on course for a total close to 200, contrasting with Dunkley by hitting effectively through and over the covers, as India’s bowlers had no answers to their variety.

What followed, however, was baffling.

Dunkley clubbed a full toss back to Sharma for the breakthrough, before the triple wicket over from seamer Arundhati Reddy – Capsey was caught after trying to ramp her third ball, Wyatt-Hodge chipped a slower ball to the India captain and Jones was pinned lbw for a golden duck.

Beaumont was bowled attempting a sweep at the end of the 18th over, before left-arm spinner Shree Charani – who was expensive with 43 runs conceded from her four overs – had Paige Scholfield stumped and Issy Wong caught behind first ball.