England fell to a crushing 347-run defeat in their one-off Test against India inside three days in Mumbai.
The hosts declared on 186-6 in their second innings, leaving England a notional target of 479 to chase down from the final two days of play, but it took India just one session to bowl them out for a first home victory in nine years.
Heather Knight top-scored for the visitors with 21 runs to her name as India swept up 10 wickets in just 27.3 overs.
“The main thing is credit to how they played,” admitted England skipper Knight. “The conditions are something we’re not used to, we were trying to find a way to score runs.
“We were better today in our tempo but it was still tricky. A lot of learnings for us and understanding the kind of toolbox you need to play here.”
Openers Tammy Beaumont and Sophia Dunkley started England’s second innings in a more assured manner than the first but put on 28 runs before the first wicket fell as Beaumont was clean-bowled by Renuka Singh Thakur.
The visitors had already collapsed in their first showing with the bat and another was looking increasingly likely when Pooja Vastrakar claimed two wickets from two balls, first Dunkley for 15 before Nat Sciver-Brunt walked on a golden duck.
Then came England’s highest partnership of the innings as Knight and Danni Wyatt managed 31 runs inside the next four overs, but the stand was soon broken when Knight became Vastrakar’s third victim before Wyatt fell to Deepti Sharma for the second time in the match.
India could celebrate beating England by 347 runs— (AP)
With five wickets down, it appeared a matter of time before England’s defeat was sealed and the visitors slipped from 83-4 to 83-6 when Amy Jones and Sophie Ecclestone were sent packing.
Sharma smashed through England’s tail when she clean-bowled Kate Cross and then Lauren Filer to claim her fourth of the innings.
England’s defeat was confirmed when Lauren Bell spooned one into the hands of Jemimah Rodrigues at silly point to secure India a first Test win at home against England in six attempts.
“Everything went to plan and credit goes to every member of the team,” said India captain Harmanpreet Kaur. “It was our plan to bowl to England like that, we had prepared accordingly. Every player performed their role.
