Knight happy with bowlers' performance
Rishi-Sunak-outside-Downing-Street levels of rain fell at Taunton on Sunday, ensuring that England’s second one-day international against Pakistan was washed out, despite the best efforts of the groundstaff.
Pakistan had won the toss and chosen to bat first, reaching 29 without loss after 6.5 overs before the heavens opened half an hour into the morning, barely letting up until play was abandoned at 3pm.
Despite the lack of wickets from the opening bowlers Kate Cross and Lauren Filer, the captain, Heather Knight, labelled it a “pleasing performance” for the home side.
Knight said: “As a bowling unit the girls were disappointed with the other day. It was a little bit scrappy, not quite up to our best, and we had some good conversations about trying to put it right today. I thought the control that Kate showed and then Lauren at the other end making things happen [was pleasing].”
Seamer Filer – brought into the side as a straight swap for Lauren Bell – sent down three overs, but England’s planned strategy to capitalise on her point-of-difference speed was kiboshed by some less than ideal fielding. An edge from Sadaf Shamas dropped short of the cordon in her first over, while in her second Sophie Ecclestone shelled a simple catch off the bat of Sidra Ameen at first slip.
“There aren’t a huge amount of slip catches in the women’s game,” Knight said. “Lauren is slightly different, you don’t get that pace of bowler very often. They do hit you really hard and sometimes it’s hard to know what distance to stand at.”
The leg-spinner Sarah Glenn is in doubt for the final ODI at Chelmsford on Wednesday with a back injury, while the batter Sophia Dunkley has been added to the squad as cover because of what Knight labelled “a few niggles” in the team.
With the series still on the line, Knight said England would be keen to put in a “perfect performance” in that final match.
“We haven’t done that in our last few ODIs and we want to end this leg of the summer really well,” she said. Raf Nicholson
Time for me to knock this soggy OBO humanely on the head. Join us next week where we will hopefully have less weather and more action in both England v Pakistan series. Have a good afternoon, goodbye!
