Raf Nicholson’s report is in, so I’m going to wrap things up. Thanks for tuning in.
The opening day of the first women’s Test match at Lord’s started with a nod to the historical injustice of the long, slow journey to reach this moment – a group of former women players, denied the chance themselves to play a Test at the home of cricket, given the chance to ring a ceremonial bell on the outfield marking five minutes before the start of play. There were more than a few tears shed in the Long Room before play even started.
A historic day for several reasons – Sophie Ecclestone used it to become England’s leading wicket-taker across formats, going past Katherine Sciver-Brunt.
A few India players are doing some close-range catching practice on the outfield. The grind never stops.
India were on it with the ball, and really should’ve had Knight when Gaud whizzed the ball on to the front pad. Still can’t believe they didn’t review it. Anywho, it’s one of those days where I’m not entirely sure who claims it.
Issy Wong, speaking to Sky, reckons England have had a brilliant day. “I didn’t get loads of bounce but I’m also five foot six and a half so I’m not going to blame that necessarily on the pitch.”
Stumps
11th over: England 21-1 (Bouchier 17, Knight 1) Gaud switches ends and will finish the day for India. Bouchier flicks down the leg-side for four and doesn’t give India another late boost. Stumps it is.
10th over: England 17-1 (Bouchier 13, Knight 1) Gaud has been excellent but India fancy some spin before the close – here comes Sneh Rana. Knight edges … and the ball drops just short of Deepti at second slip. The former England captain is under the pump here, with just one off 20 deliveries.
9th over: England 17-1 (Bouchier 13, Knight 1) This has been a really good new-ball squeeze by India – though Bouchier eases some pressure with a boundary off Satghare.
8th over: England 13-1 (Bouchier 9, Knight 1) Has Gaud got another leg-before? She slams Knight’s front pad but the finger doesn’t go up. Surely India need to review that? They do not – I can’t believe that. It looks plumb … and the replays show it was three reds, the ball projected to hit middle and leg.
7th over: England 13-1 (Bouchier 9, Knight 1) Yastika Bhatia, up to the stumps, pulls of an excellent take after Satghare sends one down the leg-side. That’s two maidens in a row.
6th over: England 13-1 (Bouchier 9, Knight 1) A corker from Gaud, who nips one past Knight’s outside edge. England have another 15 sticky minutes to navigate.
5th over: England 13-1 (Bouchier 9, Knight 1) Satghare finds some decent movement into Bouchier, who gets off strike with a clip. The keeper is up to the stumps as India try to squeeze England, Satghare going stump-to-stump, the visitors looking more energetic after that wicket.
WICKET! Beaumont lbw Gaud 2 (England 9-1)
Bouchier is playing her third Test but already has a ton on the résumé, against South Africa on debut in December 2024. Gaud bounces in … and gets rid of Beaumont! It’s full, straight, jags into the right-hander and the senior opener doesn’t even bother with a review.
4th over: England 9-1 (Bouchier 6, Knight 0)
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3rd over: England 8-0 (Bouchier 5, Beaumont 2) Beaumont punches off Satghare for a quick one and Bouchier nicks a single, too – smart running from the openers.
2nd over: England 6-0 (Bouchier 4, Beaumont 1) Beaumont is immediately off the mark, hiding any nerves if they’re there, punching into the covers for one off Gaud. A reminder of her Test-best: 208 against Australia at Trent Bridge three years ago.
1st over: England 3-0 (Bouchier 2, Beaumont 0) Satghare takes the fresh cherry, two slips waiting for Bouchier to trip up, the seamer primed to hoop the ball into the right-hander. Bouchier is up and running with a drive through mid-off, collecting a couple.
Out comes Tammy Beaumont in her final England appearance – Maia Bouchier will take the strike, though.
India all out for 285
Villiers has bowled for an age – yet still has the energy to chase down a ball to the ropes and deny Charani a boundary. That means Gaud’s on strike and Ecclestone whizzes down a quick, straight one. The end.
WICKET! Gaud b Ecclestone 1 (India 285 all out)
WICKET! Deepti c Knight b Ecclestone 57 (India 282-9)
Deepti decides it’s time to smash it, but can only find Heather Knight at catching midwicket with a hack across the line.
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Ecclestone becomes England's leading wicket-taker
74th over: India 282-8 (Deepti 57, Gaud 1) That was Ecclestone’s 336th wicket for England, making her their leading wicket-taker across formats. That’s an astonishing achievement from the 27-year-old. Villiers nearly has Kranti Gaud’s wicket – Sciver-Brunt can’t hold on at slip after a booming drive produces an edge.
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WICKET! Satghare lbw Ecclestone 1 (India 279-8)
Satghare misses completely while trying to clip Ecclestone and the finger goes up. India review, hoping that ball’s travelling down the leg-side … it ain’t.
73rd over: India 279-8 (Deepti 55)
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72nd over: India 279-7 (Deepti 55, Satghare 1) It’s all very quiet at the moment. Spin at both ends with the odd single.
71st over: India 278-7 (Deepti 55, Satghare 0) Satghare blocks away against Ecclestone, remaining scoreless after 14 deliveries.
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70th over: India 276-7 (Deepti 53, Satghare 0) Villiers tweaks away for her 17th over on the bounce.
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69th over: India 275-7 (Deepti 52, Satghare 0) Ecclestone skips through her six in quick time.
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68th over: India 274-7 (Deepti 51, Satghare 0) Sayali Satghare is up next for India, who were staring at something much bigger when they were 190 for three.
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WICKET! Rana lbw Villiers 13 (India 274-7)
Oh, that’s out, surely? Villiers goes full to Rana, slapping the front pad, but the umpire says no. England are adamant and go upstairs. And they’re right to: it’s three reds, the ball expected to crash into leg stump. Rana departs.
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Half-century for Deepti Sharma!
67th over: India 273-6 (Deepti 50, Rana 13) Word has come through: Lord’s has recorded an attendance of 10,763 for the first day of women’s Test cricket at this ancient ground. Deepti nudges the ball into the leg-side and steals a quick single for her milestone moment.
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66th over: India 271-6 (Deepti 49, Rana 12) And we’re back with Villiers, who Rana and Deepti knock into the gaps to collect four off the over. The left-hander is closing in on her fifth Test half-century.
65th over: India 267-6 (Deepti 46, Rana 11) Deepti continues to sweep at anything in reach, and collects a single off Ecclestone. A brilliantly bowled arm ball nearly cleans up Rana. Time for drinks.
64th over: India 266-6 (Deepti 45, Rana 11) Sciver-Brunt continues with Villiers – I’m struggling to remember life before Villiers started this spell from the Nursery End.
63rd over: India 258-6 (Deepti 40, Rana 8) Ecclestone goes up in appeal against Rana … though I reckon the ball’s going down the leg-side. Rana nicks a quick single to close the over.
62nd over: India 257-6 (Deepti 40, Rana 7) Deepti’s rocking now. She welcomes Villiers’ loop, sweeping for four before whacking another to the deep midwicket rope. Time for England to shift things up from the Nursery End, I reckon.
61st over: India 246-6 (Deepti 31, Rana 5) Filer digs one in short … and Deepti pulls safely for a single.
60th over: India 243-6 (Deepti 30, Rana 3) Villiers continues her long spell, and she’s just lost a bit of control in her last few overs – Deepti, looking more and more confident, sweeps away for four.
59th over: India 237-6 (Deepti 25, Rana 2) Deepti carves Filer away, over the cordon for four.
58th over: India 232-6 (Deepti 20, Rana 2) Sneh Rana joins Deepti and cuts Villiers away for a couple. I remember her Test debut pretty well, at Bristol in 2021 – she hit an unbeaten 80 in India’s second innings.
WICKET! Ghosh c Wong b Filer 13 (India 229-6)
Filer’s going a bit too wide against Deepti – when she gets it straighter, out comes the full toss, bunted away for one. But she closes the over with a wicket! Ghosh plays an edgy pull to a short ball that doesn’t really rise; Issy Wong dives forward at deep fine leg to take a fine catch. England continue to cut through.
57th over: India 229-6 (Deepti 20, Rana 0)
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56th over: India 228-5 (Deepti 18, Ghosh 13) Villiers continues, looping it wide outside off – Ghosh swishes and misses. There’s a shout for a stumping but Ghosh is fine. Villiers then loses her length: she’s pulled for four when dropping short, driven for another boundary off a full toss. Ghosh moves to double figures.
55th over: India 218-5 (Deepti 18, Ghosh 3) Filer, from over the wicket, hangs the ball outside off stump to Deepti, trying to tempt the left-hander. The India all-rounder doesn’t fall for it, seeing out a maiden.
54th over: India 218-5 (Deepti 18, Ghosh 3) Villiers settles in from around the wicket to Deepti, who continues to get the sweep out. This is Villiers’ first appearance for England since September 2024, and she’s having a good time with those classical offies.
53rd over: India 215-5 (Deepti 16, Ghosh 2) Deepti, having looked a bit rusty before the break, collects another boundary, tucking Filer around the leg-side corner.
52nd over: India 207-5 (Deepti 9, Ghosh 1) Here we go again, with Villiers back to complete her over. The power-packed Richa Ghosh is in … and Villiers rips a delicious off-break to the new batter. Welcome to the middle. Deepti sweeps hard for four before a leg-before shout closes the over. Villiers has got some decent rhythm here.
Tea - India 202-5
Villiers has her first Test wicket – not sure she’ll bowl many better than that one. That was a dreamy delivery.
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WICKET! Harmanpreet b Villiers 58 (India 202-5)
An absolute beaut! Villiers has been giving the ball some serious air throughout her spell and she delivers against Harmanpreet, ripping the ball through the gate to bowl the India captain for 58. And with that work of art, time for tea.
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51st over: India 202-4 (Deepti 5, Harmanpreet 58) Sophie Ecclestone is in to rip it from the Pavilion End. Harmanpreet brings up the 200 and Deepti finds some relief with a sweep for two.
50th over: India 199-4 (Deepti 3, Harmanpreet 57) We’ve got another little break here – Harmanpreet’s being treated by the doc. Play resumes with Villiers bowling … and Deepti misses with a sweep. Though England reckon there’s something off the bat or glove down the leg side, into Jones’ hands. I heard something … up we go for a review. There’s nothing on UltraEdge, however. Deepti’s still searching for some fluency.
49th over: India 199-4 (Deepti 3, Harmanpreet 57) Villiers pulls off a cracking one-handed stop at gully to keep Harmanpreet on strike against Filer. The England quick tests out Harmanpreet’s pull shot … it brings the captain a single.
48th over: India 197-4 (Deepti 2, Harmanpreet 56) Villiers gives that ball some lovely loop with her old-school off-break action, though she gets in a bit of trouble with a drag-down. Deepti cuts away but can’t beat Sophie Ecclestone in the covers. The dots build up for Deepti, still settling in out there.
47th over: India 196-4 (Deepti 2, Harmanpreet 55) Wong’s prize for getting the big wicket? A breather. It’s time for Lauren Filer to get the wheels going. She catches Deepti’s outside edge, too, but it doesn’t carry to the slip cordon.
46th over: India 194-4 (Deepti 0, Harmanpreet 55) Deepti Sharma, player of the tournament at the 2025 World Cup, joins her skipper. Villiers hangs the ball up in the air … and Harmanpreet welcomes a bit of extra hang-time, slapping the ball through the covers for four.
WICKET! Mandhana c Jones b Wong 83 (India 190-4)
Wong goes short and wide … but Harmanpreet resists, deciding against a flashing cut. There’s a mid-over pause as Harmanpreet needs some treatment – and it turns into a Hydration Break™ for both sides. Wong resumes with another tight delivery, catching Harmanpreet’s inside-edge … and then she gets rid of Mandhana! It’s wide outside off, Mandhana hangs the bat and gets a faint edge, Jones collecting behind the stumps. That’s a top grab and England have their breakthrough.
45th over: India 190-4 (Deepti 0, Harmanpreet 51)
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Half-century for Harmanpreet Kaur!
44th over: India 189-3 (Mandhana 83, Harmanpreet 50) Villiers goes around the wicket to Mandhana, who deftly sweeps to the fine-leg rope. Harmanpreet dabs the ball into the offside for her second Test half-century and raises her bat to all corners.
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43rd over: India 183-3 (Mandhana 78, Harmanpreet 49) Wong gets some serious swing into Mandhana and there’s a big leg-before shout … England decide against a review. It’s a good call – the replays show an inside-edge. Mandhana produces another inside-edge that gets her safely to the other end.
42nd over: India 182-3 (Mandhana 77, Harmanpreet 49) Too short from Villiers and Harmanpreet, dominating the strike after tea, pulls away for four more. India’s captain, eyeing up that half-century, tries to send one all the way to St John’s Wood station with a slog sweep … but doesn’t get anywhere close to a meaningful connection, Villiers getting some very decent dip with her off-break.
41st over: India 177-3 (Mandhana 76, Harmanpreet 45) Issy Wong bounds in … and Harmanpreet flashes hard, the ball escaping the reach of Villiers at gully and running away for four. Wong keeps that line nice and tight, but it’s still a decent over for India.
40th over: India 171-3 (Mandhana 76, Harmanpreet 39) Hello, hello, hello. What a treat to witness some history. Villiers twirls away for a fairly quiet set, conceding a single off Harmanpreet.
39th over: India 170-3 (Smriti 76, Harmanpreet 38) They take drinks after an almost mix-up, Smriti diving for her ground, and after a slow and steady post-lunch session, I had you over to Taha. Thanks for your company – bye!
38th over: India 163-3 (Smriti 75, Harmanpreet 37) Time for Maddie Villiers to replace Sophie Ecclestone. She slots into the groove, will have been a while since she bowled red ball cricket, with no professional domestic red-ball cricket any more.
37th over: India 163-3 (Smriti 74, Harmanpreet 34) Just one run off Wong’s over. Whatever Charlotte Edwards said in the lunch interval has tightened England’s resolve, unless India found the cabbage soporific.
36th over: India 162-3 (Smriti 72, Harmanpreet 34) Smriti breaks the happy sleepiness with four pinged through long on. Are we allowed to start thinking about a first century at Lord’s?
35th over: India 157-3 (Smriti 67, Harmanpreet 34)Wong replaces Bell after five overs after lunch. The game has drifted into a quieter zone.
34th over: India 156-3 (Smriti 66, Harmanpreet 34) More Ecclestone accuracy. Four dots, two singles, and a last glass of sauvignon please.
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33rd over: India 154-3 (Smriti 65, Harmanpreet 33) Bell again, huge strides. The fifty partnership comes and goes. A wild throw brings an extra run and we move quietly on. After the blitz of coloured clothing over the last month, I am appreciating the pureness of white on green
32nd over: India 149-3 (Smriti 64, Harmanpreet 29) After that initial flurry, India seem to have decided to be watchful of Ecclestone, while scoring at the other end. This has so far not been too tricky.
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31st over: India 146-3 (Smriti 64, Harmanpreet 28) Lord’s could be divided in two. The left side of the ground, as I look at it from the media stand, is largely a sea of white seats.The Tavern is closed. The other side is liberally populated on the bottom tiers, the Warner pretty full too. Four spanked by Harmanpreet through point, and four byes finish Bell’s over.
30th over: India 137-3 (Smriti 64, Harmanpreet 21) Ecclestone thinks Mandana has got a tiny tickle on a ball – England review -she hasn’t. And next ball she lofts Ecclestone, though not with enough power to reach the rope. Another couple into the leg slide. The players shadows are tiny now, squeaking along under their feet.
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29th over: India 131-3 (Smriti 59, Harmanpreet 20) Harmanpreet can’t resist a full ball, a bit of a gift from Bell and spears it to the rope, with delicious panache.
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28th over: India 127-3 (Smriti 58, Harmanpreet 15) A post prandial replete quiet over Lord’s. Quiet from India too who are happy to watch and wait. Light blue skies, sketchy white clouds floating high.
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27th over: India 125-3 (Smriti 58, Harmanpreet 15) Lauren Bell races in once more from the pavilion end. Can she find her rhythm? Better – just one from it.
Afternoon session
26th over: India 124-3 (Smriti 57, Harmanpreet 15) Braised chargrilled cabbage for lunch. The players bounce down the steps, Ecclestone to restart from the Nursery end, reels through her over quickly, just two from it.
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An entertaining session, runs at a fair lick for India, some nervy bowling from England but reward for Filer, Bell and Wong. And a joy to watch Smriti bat. Applause for the players, lunch for me! Back shortly.
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Lunch - India 122-3
25th over: India 122-3 (Smriti 56, Harman 14) Filer, getting lift, dashes in. Fourteen steps, elbows jabbing. Harmanpreet is suddenly watchful, defensive. Some faffing around with an overthrow means this is going to be the last over before lunch. A single to mid-on is the final action of the morning. Hand slaps for England, Harman and Smriti drop their gear just outside the pavilion boundary and they all go in for a historic first lunch.
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23rd over: India 121-3 (Smriti 56, Harman 13) Ecclestone rattles through another, number eight. Harman slides four through the covers.
23rd over: India 115-3 (Smriti 55, Harman 8) Filer returns for a couple of overs before the break, but switches ends. Smriti has slowed down, but Harman isn’t over cautious as lunch approaches, angling four between the slips.
22nd over: India 109-3 (Smriti 55, Harman 2) “I’m not sure what’s going on here but why are the Indian batters being referred to be their first names, until they get out, while the English bowlers get surnames?” Good question Bob Mills. I asked the question and in the end decided to follow the Lord’s scoreboard, assuming that they have asked the question of the India team. I may be wrong as it is different to what Sky are doing!
21st over: India 108-3 (Smriti 55, Harman 1) A great stat from TMS: Issy Wong has played just three domestic games this season, so she’s finding her rhythm on the grandest stage of all. Four – ping – through the covers from Smriti.
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20th over: India 102-3 (Smriti 50, Harman 0) Ecclestone turns the screw a little more, England have restored an element of control to a morning that was running away from them.
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19th over: India 101-3 (Smriti 50) Reward for Wong, whose radar is righting itself, though a shame to see the end of the entertaining Rodrigues.
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WICKET! Rodrigues b Wong 35 (India 101-3)
Rodrigues stretches to drive a wide ball that slumbers a little low, gets a thick inside edge which clatters into the stumps.
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18th over: India 99-2 (Smriti 50, Jemimah 33) A maiden! Plaudits to Sophie Ecclestone. The first of the day. Whether that is evidence of a game evolving or some wayward England bowling I’ll leave up to you.
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17th over: India 99-2 (Smriti 50, Jemimah 33) Better from Wong who shimmies past Jemimah’s outside edge; but then she delivers something inviting and wide and Rodrigues dispatches with a piercing prong.
Fifty for Smriti Mandhana!
16th over: India 93-2 (Smriti 50, Jemimah 27) Tick those milestones off – the first fifty partnership in a women’s Lord’s Test - from just 49 balls. Then, with a couple off the leg side, a first fifty – aptly to the glorious Smriti, eight fours, one six, a run a ball history-making treat.
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15th over: India 86-2 (Smriti 44, Jemimah 26) Wong returns for a third over, running away from the straw hats and fans in the rows of seats outside the pavilion. Lovely, liquid run up and action. Just three from it but the radar still isn’t quite on target.
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14th over: India 83-2 (Smriti 44, Jemimah 23) Just a couple from Ecclestone’s over.
13th over: India 81-2 (Smriti 43, Jemimah 22) Nearly a maiden from Wong, until she sprays a full toss and Jemimah says, yes please. Four. On the flag poles of the dressing rooms the Indian and England flags blow in the cross wind.
12th over: India 77-2 (Smriti 43, Jemimah 18) The players pause for drinks after a first hour that has rattled along. Three dots start Ecclestone’s second over but it finishes with a blazing slog-swept six from Smriti which is roared along by the Indian fans.
11th over: India 68-2 (Smriti 37, Jemimah 15) A double change, Issy Wong from the pavilion end – first ball driven through cover for four. Another four as a full toss is spanked square. India not overawed by the occasion.
10th over: India 59-2 (Smriti 33, Jemimah 10) Ecclestone time! Long sleeved white shirt, long blond plait down her back, sunglasses. From the nursery end. Doesn’t find her line straight away and Smriti, with a large forward, picks up four through backward point, then another, cut with just enough finesse . An lbw appeal to finish which looks optimistic. Sue says no, and so does Sciver-Brunt to the review.
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9th over: India 49-2 (Smriti 32, Jemimah 1) A more miserly over from Bell, just four from it.
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8th over: India 45-2 (Smriti 29, Jemimah 1) Smriti is hitting at a run a ball here, two of the most gorgeous pulls hit with velvety sweetness off Filer.
Hello Guy Hornsby: “What a day this is, Tanya. There have been so many wonderful moments already: Anya Shrubsole greeting former team mates in the Long Room as they walked out in whites, the incredible group of former players ringing the bell (with especial mention of Enid Bakewell, still playing at 82!) from the most venerable to recent retirees like Katherine Sciver-Brunt.
“I have happy tears in my eyes. It is, of course long, long overdue, and I felt the MCC and Lords’ PR machine this last weeks grated, given they didn’t want the women playing the long form there for so much of the last 100 years. I think we can be happy and critical at the same time.”
Well said. But I think there has been real change and so much thanks goes to people like Claire Taylor and our own Emma John who have been quietly working behind the scenes.
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WICKET! Yastikaa b Bell 12 (India 37-2)
7th over: India 37-2-1 (Smriti 21) A gorgeous, kalaeidoscope of a ball, full and nips down the slope straight through Yastiakaa! Relief and reward for Bell who had started to look disheartened after being struck for successive fours by Smriti.
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6th over: India 28-1 (Smriti 12, Yastikaa 12) Some clouds have drifted over to give the crowd a bit of respite from the sun. Filer sprints in from the Nursery end, orange heels kicking behind her. Smriti and Yastika are wary, defensive. Interesting listening to Steven Finn on TMS saying female bowlers won’t aid the pitch’s disintegration in quite the same way as the men because they’re slower and from a different – skiddier – trajectory.
5th over: India 26-1 (Smriti 12, Yastikaa 11) Smriti, gloriously, licks her lips and trills a wayward Bell twice through the covers for four.
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4th over: India 17-1 (Smriti 4, Yastikaa 11) A no ball to start Filer’s over. The rest is fast and alternatively short and pitched up.
“Good morning” – hello John Starbuck! “The fireworks are, presumably, because they’ve always (!) done it. Taking no account of the conditions (intense sunshine) is what traditionalists do best. Sad to see Freya Kemp didn’t make the team, though.” Hopefully her time will come. Shame not to see Charlie Dean too, who was rested but I think is playing for Somerset instead.
3rd over: India 15-1 (Smriti 3, Yastikaa 11) Yastikaa isn’t hanging around –clips two fours off Bell, one through square leg, one through backward point.
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2nd over: India 5-1 (Smriti 3, Bhatia 1) There’s England’s future, right there, Lauren Filer firing balls down at 70mph plus. Varma done by a belter. Bathetically, Filer follows up with a full toss. It was a slow start but there is now a good crowd filling the bottom layer of the grand stand, and the pavilion is PACKED.
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WICKET! Verma c Jones b Filer 0 (India 4-1)
A 72mph zinger! Shanks back in and there’s nothing a defending Varma can do about it.
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1st over: India 4-0 (Smriti 3, Verma 0) Bell with the first over. She puts her marker down and Sciver Brunt runs up to give her a final pat for luck. Bell’s last outing here on Sunday wasn’t her best but she’s on the money straight away here, skimming past Smriti’s outside edge. Smriti picks up a couple through the covers and we’re off!
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Of course Sue Redfern is officiating.
Oh wow, this is amazing, fifty female ex England cricketers are on the outfield to ring the bell which has been brought out on a table. Alex Hartley, Isa Guha, Lynne Thomas, Nat Sciver Brunt, Charlotte Edwards and many more. Enid Bakewell and other members of the team who first played here in 1976 do the honours.
Then two teams in whites walk through the Long Room and out through the pavilion gate. Anthems. Then fireworks and flames (a pet peeve but why?!).
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India XI
India: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia Harmnpreet Kaur (c), Jemima Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Sayali Satghare, Sneh Rana N Shree Charani, Kranti Gaud
A debut for 21 year old slow left armer N Shree Charani adds to the strong spin hand.
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England XI
England: Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Heather Knight, Nat Sciver-Brunt (c), Alice Capsey, Amy Jones (wk), Maddy Villiers, Sophie Ecclestone, Issy Wong, Lauren Bell, Lauren Filer.
Excited to see Filer getting a game after carrying the drinks around the World Cup, and Villiers has been knocking on the door in domestic cricket.
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England have won the toss and will bowl!
Harmanpreet Kaur and Nat Sciver-Brunt are in their blazers. England will bowl, in the heat.
“I think its a surface that has to last four days,” says Sciver Brunt. “It should be a good surface but the most we can get out of it will be this morning.” – Test debuts for Alice Capsey and Maddy Villiers.
“It feels like a great opportunity,” says Harmanpreet, “and it is amazing to be part of it.” A Test debut for Shree Charani.
Preamble
Good morning! It’s been a long road, with many screes, many dead ends, but we made it. A first woman’s Test at Lord’s: 50 years after the first women’s game at Lord’s, 92 years after the first women’s Test.
Both teams are out on the hallowed turf, while in the watching Long Room portraits of female cricketers of the past have been unveiled: Belinda Clark, Mary Duggan, Enid Bakewell, Jan Brittin, Myrtle MacLagan, and the World Cup0winning team of 1993.
The boards behind the Tavern stand have been replaced to represent female cricketing achievement and everywhere are cricketers of today and shadows of the past.
To business: England must switch gear immediately – just four days after they lost the Women’s World Cup here. Six players change from blue and red to whites – captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, Heather Knight, Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, Sophie Ecclestone and Amy Jones. Ellie Threlkeld, Tilly Corteen-Coleman, all-rounder Mady Villiers and fast bowler Grace Potts join the squad.
And it’s a last hurrah for Tammy Beaumont, who saw the writing on the way after a magnificent England career.
India have been able to have a more leisurely week, albeit because they were knocked out of the World Cup in the knockout stages. They’ve had time to process the disappointment – my hunch is on them spoiling the party.
Toss at 10.30am BST, play at 11am – join us!
