Sciver-Brunt and Ecclestone star as England go top

ICC Women’s World Cup, Colombo

England 253-9 (50 overs): Sciver-Brunt 117 (117); Ranaweera 3-33

Sri Lanka 164 (45.4 overs): Harshitha 33 (37); Ecclestone 4-17

England won by 89 runs

England remain unbeaten in the Women’s World Cup after Nat Sciver-Brunt’s sensational century and a remarkable spell of 4-17 from Sophie Ecclestone set up a crushing 89-run win over Sri Lanka in Colombo.

Having put England in to bat, Sri Lanka were left to rue dropping Sciver-Brunt on three, as she punished them with a run-a-ball 117 in England’s competitive 253-9.

The game was delicately poised with England 179-6 after 40 overs, but the captain timed her acceleration to perfection with 49 runs coming from the last five.

In reply, Sri Lanka’s captain and key batter Chamari Athapaththu retired hurt early in their innings, but fellow opener Hasini Perera and Harshitha Samarawickrama led a promising recovery to 95-1.

But the co-hosts’ lack of batting depth cost them, despite Athapaththu’s return to the crease before she fell for 15, and they finished 164 all out in the 46th over, Ecclestone’s often-unplayable spell of turn and bounce doing the damage.

England’s third win in a row puts them top of the eight-team table, one point above defending champions Australia.

Earlier, Sciver-Brunt played a lone hand as the rest of England’s top order made promising starts but were unable to capitalise, with opener Tammy Beaumont’s 32 the next-highest contribution.

Amy Jones was run out for 11 and Beaumont was caught in the covers, before Sciver-Brunt and former captain Heather Knight consolidated with a patient stand of 60.

Knight was caught sweeping for 29 and England suffered another middle-order wobble to spin, including the loss of Emma Lamb and Alice Capsey to Inoka Ranaweera in the 35th over.

The discipline of Dean stabilised England again as she added 38 for the seventh wicket with Sciver-Brunt, which allowed the skipper to kick on at the death and ensure they had set a winning score.

Coming into the World Cup, there was concern surrounding the workload of Sciver-Brunt, leading the side for the first time in a World Cup, carrying the weight of the batting line-up and returning to bowl after an Achilles injury suffered during the Ashes.

But she has quietened those doubts, taking a wicket with her first ball back in the opener against South Africa and here notching her fifth World Cup hundred, the most for any woman as she reached the milestone from 110 balls.

The defining moment for Sri Lanka came in the 14th over as Sciver-Brunt drilled Ranaweera to Udeshika Prabodhani at short mid-wicket, struck firmly but at a comfortable height before bursting through the fielder’s hands.

Sciver-Brunnr was ruthless in her punishment. She was happy to rebuild after the loss of the openers with Knight, and had to absorb pressure in the middle overs after Sophia Dunkley was caught and bowled for 18, Lamb was bowled round her legs for 13 and Capsey was stumped off a beautiful turning delivery – the only England batter who could realistically say she was out to a good ball.

Vice-captain Dean offered valuable company before Sciver-Brunt picked her moment to unleash her power down the ground and pulled confidently off anything short in a crucial ninth-wicket stand of 36 from 19 balls with Linsey Smith.

Sciver-Brunt’s wife – former England bowler Katherine – was in the crowd with their baby boy Theo, and the century celebration was a touching moment, with the captain gesturing to her family like she was rocking him in her arms.

With conditions at the various group-stage venues proving to favour spinners considerably, England continue to prove that they have one of the most formidable attacks to exploit such pitches.

After captain Athapaththu was taken off the field on a stretcher, it was Dean who made the initial breakthrough with her first ball, a stunning delivery that turned from off stump to take leg and bowl Vishmi Gunaratne for 10.

The turn and bounce must have had Ecclestone itching to get the ball in hand but she was held back until the 19th over.

From there, she was metronomic and relentless. She removed both set batters Perera and Harshitha to swing momentum back in England’s favour, though the roar from the Sri Lankan crowd when Athapaththu emerged from the dugout emphasised her importance to the side.

But she was scratchy for 39 balls before being bowled by Ecclestone, alongside Kavisha Dilhari, as each batter tried and failed to put her under pressure by sweeping or taking her down the ground.

England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt: “In the start, it looked fairly easy to score. Then the spin came on, and there was a bit of inconsistency in terms of whether there was spin or bounce and just how it reacted off the wicket.

“I guess for me batting through allows other people to come in and play in different ways, and I felt like I could never accelerate properly, until the conditions right at the end.”

When asked if her team have played their best yet: “In patches but not really put all together, I’d say. We would have liked to have bigger partnerships in our batting innings to make it feel a little bit more comfortable.”

Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu: “We bowled really well. We dropped one catch and she scored 100. Catches win matches.