#POOJA_VASTRAKAR

[tsportsday]

England wanted to finish its 100th Test and the final assignment on the 22 yards with a victory to take some holiday cheer back home for the Christmas and New Year break. India Women vs England Women Only Test Full ScorecardHowever, instead of some victory eggnog or hot chocolate, England was left swallowing the bitter tonic of defeat after crumbling to a 347-run loss on day three in the lone Test against India at the D.Y. Patil Stadium here on Saturday. Fully expecting to begin the day by trying to bowl India out as soon as possible, England was handed a curveball when India decided to declare on its overnight score of 186/6. With a hefty lead of 478 and the opium of confidence in the bag, India set out to strike the English resistance down piece by piece. India bundled England out for 136 in three and a half hours on day two but needed just two hours and 10 minutes to wrap up its first Test win against England on home soil with a neat bow. On a hot morning here, India was never made to sweat, sealing the Test on the third day with a scrumptious English breakfast buffet, with almost every bowler getting a slice of the pie. England vice captain Natalie Sciver-Brunt, the only batter who looked to have any semblance of control, spoke about bettering footwork and focus and to dig deep and defend. Sophia Dunkley and Tammy Beaumont walked out determined to follow the blueprint. Dunkley managed to keep Renuka Singh Thakur, who has had her number throughout this series. Renuka got her opener, but it was Beaumont who succumbed to the seamer nagging stump to stump bowling. Dunkley also would fall eventually to seam, but to Pooja Vastrakar who tempted her with a slightly wide delivery, forcing her to attempt a slice which went straight to Harleen Deol. Vastrakar sent shockwaves through the English dugout when she sent a ripper to rock Sciver-Brunt’s stumps off the very first ball she faced. Struggling at 37/3 with a Herculean task facing the visitor, the onus was on skipper Heather Knight and Danielle Wyatt. However, neither could find a way to stick on at the crease. Once Knight fell to Vastrakar, whose trajectory she misjudged fell with England at 68/4, Deepti Sharma took over and cleaned the house with some help from Rajeshwari Gayakwad. Her heavy lifting with bat and ball meant Deepti was adjudged player of the match for her nine wicket haul and knocks of 67 and 20. Harmanpreet Kaur, whose Test captaincy gets off the mark with a massive win, will now lead her side in another red ball fixture against a more challenging opponent in Alyssa Healy’s Australia at the Wankhede Stadium from December 21-24.