Three big partnerships helped India to their biggest total on home soil, between Shubha Satheesh and Jemimah Rodrigues; between Harmapreet and Yastika; between Deepti and Rana. Three half centuries too – with Harmanpreet dismissed unluckily for 49. Deepti still there on 60. A good day for India, after winning the toss.
England stuck at their task, but some wishy-washy fielding let them down, and Knight might have hoped for a bit more consistency with the ball. We’ll be back tomorrow, do join us at 4am GMT. Bye!
India women have now made their highest Test total on home soil, beating the 4006/d they made against South Africa at Mysore in 2014 (their previous Test at home).#INDvENG https://t.co/jJ1aCoENzR
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) December 14, 2023
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94th over: India 410-7 (Deepti 60, Vastrakar 4) And its an uneventful maiden. Off march Deepti and Vastrakar, off wander England.
92nd over: India 410-7 (Deepti 60, Vastrakar 4) NSB dials down another maiden and the last over of the day will be bowled by Sophie Ecclestone – her 22nd, more than any other bowler. Not a bad call this – the beckoning call of the dressing room might bring a tired, off-kilter, prod.
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92nd over: India 410-7 (Deepti 60, Vastrakar 4) Deepti content to take a single off the first ball, and Filer makes things easy by dropping a full toss which Vastrakar merely brushes at and collects four. Just a couple of overs left in the day.
91st over: India 405-7 (Deepti 59, Vastrakar 0) A wicket maiden for NSB, relief for England after a long day, and the end of a jaunty 92-run sixth-wicket stand.
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WICKET! Rana b Sciver-Brunt 30 (India 405-7)
Rana fancies a flurry over mid-wicket but misses and NSB it is with the breakthrough! A satisfying death rattle after a long day’s work.
90th over: India 405-6 (Deepti 59, Rana 30) Lauren Filer back for one last throw of the dice. Artful Dodger elbowed start, but she can’t stop the 400 coming up with a single. Decent over, throws a bouncer into the mix with her final ball, but Deepti is up to the challenge and pulls it away for four.
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89th over: India 399-6 (Deepti 54, Rana 29) NSB on point.
Fifty for Deepti Sharma!
88th over: India 398-6 (Deepti 53, Rana 29) With an effortless flick off her ankles for four, Deepti reaches fifty. She grins, raises her bat, and is warmly applauded by her teammates led by a happy-looking Harmanpreet, who seems to have recovered from her unfortunate dismissal. Smashing innings.
87th over: India 393-6 (Deepti 48, Rana 29) When you’re down on your luck, Nat Sciver Brunt is your friend. Knight calls up her star all rounder – who delivers a maiden as we enter the final 30 minutes of the day. The players pause for a quick drink, and the camera pans round the ground. It is so pretty with its layers of pink and turquoise seating – like rounds of pastel cupcakes on a cake stand.
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86th over: India 393-6 (Deepti 48, Rana 29) Beautifully done, Deepti, soft hands: Four. Bell raises her eyes to the heavens, and follows up with five dots.
85th over: India 389-6 (Deepti 44, Rana 29) Deepti edges through the slip cordon, but again with soft hands, and there’s a certain leaden footedness from Eccelstone (?) which results in the ball merrily trotting down to the rope. Four more as Rana drives Cross prettily through the covers. A more costly over.
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84th over: India 380-6 (Deepti 39, Rana 25) Behind thes stumps, Jones stifles a little yawn. Its’ been a long hot day, and we’re going to play half an hour extra. Deepti beaten twice by Bell bowling full of verve.
83rd over: India 379-6 (Deepti 38, Rana 25) Rana edges to slip, but played with soft hands and the ball bounces before it reaches the fielder.
82nd over: India 375-6 (Deepti 38, Rana 21) With a skip at the top of her mark, Lauren Ball takes the new ball at the other end. And there’s inswing straight away, two boomers, that Rana negotiates.
81st over: India 374-6 (Deepti 38, Rana 20) And Kate Cross, headgirl discipline shining out of her careful action, does the job immediately. Just two from it.
80th over: India 372-6 (Deepti 37, Rana 19) Better communication this time! They manage a single, and there’s the four-ball at the end of the over, a short wide one and Rana says yes please. Ecclestone kicks her cap – and its time for the NEW BALL. Knight will hpoe for a little more control from her seamers.
79th over: India 367-6 (Deepti 36, Rana 15) Deepti suddenly very hungry. After swatting Ecclestone for six, she starts Dean’s next over by panning her through extra cover for four more to bring up the fifty partnership and a very effective rebuild since the dismissal of Harmanpreet. She and Rana then somehow manage not to run off a sweep that definitely offered one.
78th over: India 362-6 (Deepti 31, Rana 15) Four byes, as Ecclestone sends one down leg side, surprising Jones. Then Deepti pings her into the sun, taking her hand off the bat to squint and check whether it has gone for six. It has. Quite the shot.
77th over: India 351-6 (Deepti 24, Rana 15) Dean wizzes through her over, the last fizzing off the pitch and a strangled appeal.
76th over: India 350-6 (Deepti 23, Rana 15) Five dots from Ecclestone, then a short one is bashed through the coers by Rana.350 up, at more than a trot.
75th over: India 346-6 (Deepti 23, Rana 11) Filer continues, running in wiht admirable enthusiasm on a hot day from five foot eleven. Deepti is tested, but steals a four. They take drinks – and I may have got my timings wrong here. Perhaps this is the final hour.
74th over: India 341-6 (Deepti 19, Rana 10) Deepti sweeps Ecclestone with style for four. The second new ball is in sight.
73rd over: India 337-6 (Deepti 15, Rana 10) Filer is back, quick, awkward. Rana picks up four, but its an edge and not completely convincing.
72nd over: India 333-6 (Deepti 15, Rana 6) The shadow from the flood lights has now stretched over the pitch. Deepti licks her lips and tucks into Ecclestone’s first ball, dinking it for four. Then there’s a pause as Deepti gets hit on the helmet at chin height – and she gets checked out. Finally. Ecclestone is very keen on an lbw shout– Tammy Beaumont fielding close doesn’t look convinced, but Knight goes for the review. But the cameras aren’t kind, there’s a definite edge onto the bat. England now only have one review left
71st over: India 329-6 (Deepti 11, Rana 6) Four byes help the scores shimmy up towards 350, with an hour or so left of play.
70th over: India 324-6 (Deepti 10, Rana 6) Eccleston sticks another maiden into her pocket.
69th over: India 324-6 (Deepti 10, Rana 6) Deepti pounces on a ball from Dean drifting down leg and sweeps it away for four.
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68th over: India 318-6 (Deepti 5, Rana 5) Ecclestone returns, with a maiden, and we’ve got spin from both ends.
67th over: India 318-6 (Deepti 5, Rana 5) The end of a super innings by Yastika, authoritative, stylish and with some swagger. Rana off the mark with a boundary first ball.
WICKET! Yastika c Bell b Dean 75 (India 313-6)
Dean gets her woman! But only just…. a top-edged sweep and Bell is underneath it again, as she was when Yastika had only 15. Again she looks as if she’s trying to fight it off, but this time – against all odds – she holds on!
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66th over: India 313-5 (Yastika 65, Deepti 4) And just a couple of singles off Bell, as the tempo continues to dribble not bubble.
65th over: India 311-5 (Yastika 65, Deepti 4) And a maiden from Charlie Dean.
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64th over: India 311-5 (Yastika 65, Deepti 4) Just one off Bell’s over, and with that wicket, plucked from emptiness, the whole momentum shifts.
This is very true from Raf:
Slip fielding is perhaps *the* key area where the women's game remains stuck in the amateur era. For obvious reasons, but... the team that does something about it will be at a huge advantage in Test match cricket.
— CRICKETher 🏏 (@crickether) December 14, 2023
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63rd over: India 310-5 (Yastika 64, Deepti 4) England cock-a-hoop after that slice of luck. Now, hold onto your catches!
#INDvENG #CricketTwitter
— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) December 14, 2023
Oh wow! Harmanpreet Kaur and run outs in 2023 🥲
It looked like she had gotten her first Test half century but not to be. The bat gets stuck before she crossed the crease.https://t.co/xMIngktxOz pic.twitter.com/zRRTNIXpea
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WICKET! Harmanpreet run out (Wyatt) 49 (India 306-5)
Oh dear. That is one of most unfortunate/silliest run-outs I’ve ever seen. Harmanpreet is run out in a no-pressure situation because her bat gets stuck in the crease as she tries to push it through.
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62nd over: India 306-4 (Yastika 64, Harmanpreet 49) An unsurprising bowling change – Filer gets a rest, and it is Lauren Bell’s chance to make the breakthrough. Bell hoping to clear the memory of that dropped catch off Charlie Dean midway through the afternoon session. Ah – that might do it, as the ball after Yastika whallops her over midwicket for four, Yastika edges to Knight – who gets a hand to it at slip … but can’t hold on. Away the ball rolls.
61st over: India 300-4 (Yastika 58, Harmanpreet 49) Ecclestone applies the cold compress.
A maiden Test fifty for Yastika Bhatia!
60th over: India 298-4 (Yastika 57, Harmanpreet 48) Not quite what Knight ordered at the tea-interval. Filer’s radar wobbles under the pressure of some superb Indian batting. First a backfoot punch for four by Hamanpreet then Yastika reaches her fifty with a shiny bauble of a pull for six followed immediately by a four through backward point.
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59th over: India 283-4 (Yastika 47, Harmanpreet 43) An expensive over from Ecclestone – ten from it, the best a Harmanpreet flowing on drive. The runs, they floweth.
58th over: India 273-4 (Yastika 44, Harmanpreet 36) Filer continues to be Knight’s pace option after tea. Four leg byes past Amy Jones, who isn’t the most nimble-footed in that moment.
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Evening session
57th over: India 266-4 (Yastika 43, Harmanpreet 34) Yastika starts in some style, driving Ecclestone’s first ball after tea for four to some whoops of approval. In other news, my uncle has sent me a beautiful picture of sunrise in the Surrey Hills, but if the sun has risen here in Manchester, it has done so with extreme subtlety.
We’re back!
56th over: India 261-4 (Yastika 38, Harmanpreet 34) Filer, elbows and knees run up, sends down a succession of short balls to Yastika. She picks ups a single, Harmanpreet negotiates the final couple of deliveries, the umpire knocks off the bails and that is tea. India will be happy with that I think: 136 for 2 in the morning session, 125-2 in the afternoon session. Time for me to make a quick coffee – back shortly.
55th over: India 260-4 (Yastika 37, Harmanpreet 34) Eccleston gives it some air and India are watchful. No boundary, for what seems like the first time in ages.
54th over: India 259-4 (Yastika 36, Harmanpreet 34) Another switch of the seamers, this time Filer for Cross. Yastika’s boundary comes from an edge over the leaping gully – and she overtakes Harmanpreet in the accumulation pile.
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53rd over: India 253-4 (Yastika 31, Harmanpreet 33) Ecclestone replaces Dean and Harmanpreet is beaten first ball as she goes to sweep. Carefully, carefully, they watch Ecclestone until the boundary comes from the final ball ast Yastika has a short armed drive through the covers.
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52nd over: India 248-4 (Yastika 27, Harmanpreet 32) Four dots from Cross, then she drifts just fractionally wide, and Yastika does the busiess, through the covers with aplomb. I’d love to hear from you with your thoughts on this Test, your Christmas plans or allsorted thoughts.
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51st over: India 243-4 (Yastika 23, Harmanpreet 32) This over’s boundary comes as Yastika sweeps Dean off leg stump. A leg bye ticks off the five ffor the over.
50th over: India 238-4 (Yastika 19, Harmanpreet 32) Only a scattering of fans at the DY Patil stadium in Mumbai but a rousing cheer as Harmanpreet bends her knees, opens the face, and guides Cross through the field to the rope. It looks hot out there.
On telly they flash up a list of women’s Test cricket – this is England’s 100th Test, Indias’ 39th.
49th over: India 232-4 (Yastika 18, Harmanpreet 28) India living dangerously at the moment, as Harmanpreet top-edges a sweep off Dean.
Good morning Guy Hornsby! “Those early wickets seemed a long way away at 169-2 so England have a chance to get right back into this match if they can get another. The spinners really have the hard work to do but there pressure has paid off from the last ten overs or so. Shaping into a really good Test match already.”
48th over: India 230-4 (Yastika 17, Harmanpreet 27) A bowling change, Cross for NSB, and just a couple from it.
47th over: India 228-4 (Yastika 16, Harmanpreet 26) A consoling pat for Lauren Bell from the big-hearted bowler Dean, after Yastika top-edges a sweep high and Bell, somehow, runs too close so the ball surprises her and she ends up fighting it off like an angry paper bag, rather than catching it. The level-headed Knight squeezes her eyes shut with a wry smile.
46th over: India 222-4 (Yastika 11, Harmanpreet 25) NSB bustles in, keeps it tight right the way till the final ball when Yastika picks up the ball and hauls it stylishly over midwicket for four.
45th over: India 221-4 (Yastika 11, Harmanpreet 24) Harmanpreet collects another boundary, not the prettiest, but they all count. Charlie Dean ends the over with a muted appeal.
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44th over: India 216-4 (Yastika 11, Harmanpreet 19) A fascinating discussion on comms – apparently there is a difference of 15 percent between the average size of men’s and women’s hands but a difference of only three percent between men’s and women’s balls – meaning it is more difficult to get big turn on the ball. Kaur keeps the boundary rate up, pulling NSB with effective angles.
43rd over: India 211-4 (Yastika 11, Harmanpreet 14) Thanks Taha! Hello everyone, hope you’ve got a cup of coffee on the go for day one of this intriguing Test. Charlie Dean continues and Yastika sweeps her second ball past the ducking Dunkley for four. Heather Knight wipes her face on the sleeve of her shirt and India continue to whizz along.
42nd over: India 205-4 (Yastika 6, Harmanpreet 13) Sciver-Brunt nearly outfoxes Harmanpreet with her off-cutter, with the India captain throwing the bat at it, but the inside-edge off the bat runs away for four. And that’ll be drinks. Time for Tanya Aldred to take over. See ya!
41st over: India 198-4 (Yastika 5, Harmanpreet 7) Dean runs through her six rather quickly, conceding just a couple of singles.
40th over: India 196-4 (Yastika 4, Harmanpreet 6) Bell is bowling a fine spell here, building up the dots – but a touch of width is pounced upon by Yastika, who leans into a drive through the covers for four.
39th over: India 192-4 (Yastika 0, Harmanpreet 6) Dean replaces Ecclestone and finds drop, drift and turn, too. She concedes just a couple.
WICKET! Jemimah b Bell 68 (India 190-4)
Bowled! Bell has been stringing together the dots and she’s rewarded with the prized wicket of Rodrigues, whose feet go nowhere to a ball that comes back in to rattle the stumps. It was a delightful knock from Rodrigues, but suddenly India have two new batters in the middle and England have a significant opening.
38th over: India 190-4 (Harmanpreet 4, Yastika 0)
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37th over: India 189-3 (Jemimah 68, Harmanpreet 3) Ecclestone tries to fizz a ball through at pace, but it races down the leg side and to the boundary for byes.
36th over: India 184-3 (Harmanpreet 2, Jemimah 68) Bell thuds the ball into Rodrigues’ front pad, and England review – more out of desperation than pragmatism, I’d argue. It’s going miles down the leg side.
35th over: India 184-3 (Jemimah 68, Harmanpreet 2) Jemimah’s domination through the covers continues with a drive off Ecclestone, and she follows that up immediately with a deft sweep around the corner for another boundary. You look at the strike rate and you’d think this is full-blown red-ball aggression but it’s just been controlled batting of the highest quality. Harmanpreet plays a lovely little sweep of her own to get off the mark with a couple.
Half-century for Jemimah Rodrigues!
34th over: India 173-3 (Jemimah 60, Harmanpreet 0) Lauren Bell returns and Jemimah plays a wonderful cover drive to bring up a half-century in her first innings as a Test cricketer. She’s played some heavenly straight-bat strokes across her stay at the crease. Just as I type that Bell manages to induce an outside edge from Jemimah, but Amy Jones doesn’t have the reach, diving to her right, to take a low grab. A drive through cover point follows to give Jemimah three more runs.
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WICKET! Shubha c Sciver-Brunt b Ecclestone 69 (India 162-3)
Shubha sees a bit of air from Ecclestone and advances down the pitch to hit through the leg side for four. But then she falls! It’s a poor ball from Ecclestone, short and there to be hit, but Shubha mistimes the pull, with an edgy hit lobbing up towards short midwicket, and Sciver-Brunt dives forward to hold on. It was a fine knock from Shubha, but she’ll regret the manner of her departure.
33rd over: India 162-3 (Jemimah 49, Harmanpreet 0)
32nd over: India 158-2 (Shubha 65, Rodrigues 49) Filer continues to try and be a short-ball menace but I do think she looks more dangerous when she spears the ball in full, at the stumps, with the seam upright. That being said, Shubha nearly lands herself in trouble with a pull shot, the ball dropping short of deep backward square.
31st over: India 154-2 (Jemimah 46, Shubha 64) Ecclestone sends in five dots before Jemimah closes the over with a drive through cover for three.
30th over: India 151-2 (Jemimah 43, Shubha 64) The 100 stand between the pair comes up as Shubha hooks away Filer to the fine-leg rope. A full toss is thumped through the covers for four to close the over and, ouch. Kate Cross has hurt herself trying to pull the ball back on the rope and looks to be in a bit of grief. After a brief pause, she’s back up on her feet, though, so hopefully all’s good.
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29th over: India 143-2 (Shubha 56, Jemimah 43) Ecclestone, still trying to find the right spot to land the ball on, takes action from the other end. I imagine she’s settling in for a long trundle here. There’s nearly a mix-up between the two batters off the final ball, with Shubha scrambling back to the non-striker’s end as the throw came in.
28th over: India 141-2 (Rodrigues 42, Shubha 55) Jemimah begins with a boundary, continuing to run the same rhythm as the first session.
And we’re back, with Lauren Filer bowling to Jemimah Rodrigues. Expect some short stuff.
While there’s a break, why not keep tabs on even more cricket? David Warner is nearing a ton against Pakistan.
Lunch! India 136-2
27th over: India 136-2 (Jemimah 37, Shubha 55) What a way to close the session: Ecclestone rips one, Shubha prods forward to produce an outside edge and Heather Knight can’t pull off a much-needed screamer at slip, moving to her right as the ball runs away to the boundary. It’s been a terrific session for India, with the two Test debutants Shubha and Jemimah putting on 89 together so far. Kate Cross and Lauren Bell got rid of the openers, but the morning belongs to the hosts.
26th over: India 132-2 (Shubha 51, Jemimah 37) Cross brings England some much-needed peace and quiet, conceding just one off her over, with Amy Jones standing up to the stumps.
25th over: India 131-2 (Shubha 50, Jemimah 37) England appeal for a stumping as Ecclestone spins one past Rodrigues, but no dramas there.
Half-century for Shubha Satheesh!
24th over: India 131-2 (Jemimah 37, Shubha 50) Heather Knight turns back to her opening bowler, Kate Cross, and Shubha plays a wonderfully delicate cut behind point for four. And then, well, this is just showing off – she drives through mid-on to bring up her half-century off just 49 balls. A sumptuous knock, and India have got a proper player here.
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23rd over: India 123-2 (Shubha 42, Jemimah 37) Ecclestone is a touch too full, then a bit too short – but Shubha can only take one across both deliveries. Jemimah nails another boundary, with India refusing to let England’s star bowler settle.
India rarely play women's Tests, but who thought they knew they had an uncapped batter in the domestic ranks they could rely on as a Test specialist.
— Annesha Ghosh (@ghosh_annesha) December 14, 2023
Credit where it's due: Debutant Subha Sateesh has proven to be a solid pick.#INDvENG
22nd over: India 118-2 (Shubha 41, Jemimah 33) Terrific hands from Jemimah as she drives Dean through extra cover for four. A nice clip through the leg side for two closes the over. It’s all rather serene for India at the moment.
21st over: India 110-2 (Jemimah 26, Shubha 40) Time for Sophie Ecclestone to have a go. Shubha, who has been pretty flawless so far, lands another four from the second ball of the over. A couple of twos follow to make Ecclestone’s first set an expensive one.
20th over: India 101-2 (Jemimah 25, Shubha 32) A gorgeous, ripping off-break from Dean spins past Shubha’s prod forward and runs away for a couple of byes – both turn and dangerous bounce there from the England spinner. Shubha responds with a cut for four, bringing up the fifty partnership between this pair. Dean has a silly point and short leg in, but Shubha tucks Dean around the corner on the leg side for another boundary. Three figures up for India.
19th over: India 91-2 (Shubha 24, Jemimah 25) Jemimah classily flicks Filer down the leg side for four – fine wristwork from the 23-year-old technician.
18th over: India 84-2 (Shubha 23, Jemimah 20) Spin enters the equation, with Charlie Dean introduced to twirl her off-breaks. She floats it above the eyeline, getting some nice drop on the ball. Just one off it.
17th over: India 83-2 (Shubha 22, Jemima 20) Jemimah pulls away Filer for four, the batter’s front foot hanging in the air as she swings hard. Filer responds well by beating Jemimah outside off before the next delivery jags dramatically down the leg side and away to the boundary for four byes. And then a jaffa follows that somehow doesn’t hit the stumps – the seam was upright, moving back into Jemimah to befuddle the right-hander but travelling over the stumps. Promising work from England’s fastest quick.
16th over: India 73-2 (Jemimah 14, Shubha 22) Shubha, who has a real classical style to her batting, punches Sciver-Brunt through the covers for three. Sciver-Brunt is still getting some decent hoop away from the right-hander, but this partnership is looking more and more settled.
15th over: India 69-2 (Shubha 19, Jemimah 13) Filer is starting to find her areas, threatening Jemimah with a few potential rib-ticklers. A maiden follows.
14th over: India 69-2 (Jemimah 13, Shubha 19) Sciver-Brunt continues her tidy work, conceding just a couple – and it’s time for “a cold beverage”, according to the man on comms. Speak for yourself – I’m off for a cup of anything warm as I search for yet another blanket.
13th over: India 67-2 (Shubha 18, Jemimah 12) Here comes the pace. Lauren Filer, so impressive in the home summer, is introduced into the attack and goes short to Jemimah, who plays a nice pull to steal a couple of runs. Jemimah plays her best shot so far moments later, driving a fuller ball through mid-off for a boundary. Another four closes the over as Jemimah finds her flow – India continue their race through the morning.
12th over: India 57-2 (Jemimah 2, Shubha 18) Sciver-Brunt is stringing up the dots, with Jemimah the batter under examination. The prospect of another maiden is ended when Jemimah punches into the covers for one.
11th over: India 56-2 (Jemimah 1, Shubha 18) Shubha flashes outside off stump to find four behind point off Cross, and India have their 50, with 10 boundaries picked up on the way. The 11th is the best of the lot, as Shubha drives down the ground and holds the pose – very MCC textbook stuff. There’s been a strange rhythm to this whole thing so far, with India regularly launching it to the ropes but already two down.
10th over: India 48-2 (Jemimah 1, Shubha 10) Nat Sciver-Brunt is in at first-change and she produces a gorgeous outswinger to Jemimah before showing off an off-cutter. The all-rounder is on it straightaway, beginning with a maiden.
9th over: India 48-2 (Jemimah 1, Shubha 10) Two debutants out there now for India, with Jemimah Rodrigues joining Shubha.
WICKET! Shafali b Cross 19 (India 47-2)
Cross send the off stump cartwheeling! A corker from the right-armer, getting just a smidgen of movement off the pitch with a wobbling seam to jag the ball away from Shafali and rattle the stumps. A proper beaut.
8th over: India 46-1 (Shubha 9, Shafali 19) Shubha pokes to produce an outside edge off Bell – but the ball just about evades Heather Knight at second slip to run away for four. Bell’s short-ball efforts to Shafali have been too wide so far, and Shafali uses the width to launch a sliced upper-cut over the cordon for four.
7th over: India 37-1 (Shubha 4, Shafali 15) Shafali’s still finding it a bit of struggle out there, with Cross getting a couple of balls to whistle past off stump and get the England fielders excited. But the opener gets one right later in the over, punching beautifully off the back foot through the covers for four. Another boundary closes the over, and all’s well once again for Shafali.
6th over: India 29-1 (Shafali 7, Shubha 4) A look at that wicket again shows that Bell got a bit of jag off the pitch, moving the ball back into the left-hander. Right then, here’s a first look at Satheesh Shubha, and she cracks out a boundary with her second ball, driving imperiously through the off side for four.
WICKET! Mandhana b Bell 17 (India 25-1)
Mandhana drags on! Bell bowls a nice, tight line from around the wicket and the left-hander tries to cut when she really shouldn’t. England are up and running.
5th over: India 25-0 (Mandhana 17, Shafali 7) Not exactly popping at the DY – can’t spot too many bums on seats. Hopefully that changes as the day goes on. Mandhana continues to pepper the off-side, with Cross not getting much help through the air or off the pitch.
4th over: India 23-0 (Shafali 6, Mandhana 16) Bell goes too wide outside off to Shafali, and the right-hander flings the bat to pick up four behind point. It’s not an entirely convincing shot, but she’s got her first boundary of the game. Mandhana punches through mid-off and Kate Cross looks like she’s going to pull it back in… until she doesn’t. Four more.
3rd over: India 14-0 (Shafali 1, Mandhana 12) Mandhana unfurls another cracking cover drive for four, with Cross going too full. And then another hit through the covers from the left-hander brings two.
2nd over: India 7-0 (Shafali 1, Mandhana 6) Lauren Bell begins with an overpitched ball, and Mandhana leans into a cover drive for four. And then a huge opportunity goes begging for England! It’s short from Bell, Mandhana plays an ugly shot across the line that sees an edge lob up high into the air… Tammy Beaumont is under it at short leg but loses where the ball is when she turns around and can’t get to it, launching a failed diving effort.
1st over: India 1-0 (Mandhana 1, Shafali 0) Mandhana takes strike and pinches a single to mid-off from the second ball. There’s an lbw shout off Shafali’s first delivery, but it ain’t a convincing one – clearly sliding down leg. There’s no early movement for Cross, and there doesn’t appear to be much bounce either.
Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana are the openers for India, while Kate Cross has the new ball for England. Let’s play!
Happy days. This is Satheesh’s international debut, too.
The smiles ☺️
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) December 14, 2023
The emotions 🤗
The joy 👏
Say hello to #TeamIndia's newest Test debutants - Shubha Satheesh, Renuka Singh Thakur & Jemimah Rodrigues 👋
Go well! 👍 👍
Follow the Match ▶️ https://t.co/UB89NFaqaJ#INDvENG |@IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/0P5BFLnsZK
Bold stuff from England – they’ve got Sophie Ecclestone batting at No 7, packing the side with plenty of bowling options. Sophia Dunkley moves up to open alongside Tammy Beaumont after Emma Lamb had to pull out of the game due to a back injury.
The teams
🚨 A look at #TeamIndia's Playing XI 🔽
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) December 14, 2023
Follow the Match ▶️ https://t.co/UB89NFaqaJ#INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/Uyn76WRJZi
Did someone say Test Match morning!? 🤩
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) December 14, 2023
Bowling on the first morning 🏏#EnglandCricket #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/baxsPYdDJj
India win the toss and choose to bat first
Right then, Harmanpreet Kaur wins the call and decides to have a hit. India have three debutants: Jemimah Rodrigues, Shubha Satheesh and Renuka Singh Thakur, who made the new ball talk in the T20Is against England.
Preamble
Anyone up for a bit of history? It’s been nine years since India – the centre of the world game – last hosted a women’s Test match, 18 since England made the trip over for a long-form hit. The lack of red-ball women’s cricket makes these one-off affairs feel ever more important and rather special – but it’d be nice if it became a more regular part of the system: we saw a cracker in the Ashes earlier this year, and the good news is that India will take on Australia themselves next week. Like buses and all that, as Raf Nicholson put it in this fantastic piece.
Anywho, first up it’s England at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai, and there’s a bit of anxiety in the air as the visitors step into the unknown. Play begins at 4am GMT and my word am I anxious too – I haven’t had much sleep, which is always great when you’re about to roll out a live blog for the entire world to read. Wish me luck and, as ever, keep me company. Send in your thoughts, queries, late-night song requests, advice on how to resolve my love-life woes, film reviews (I watched Wonka the other day – a pleasant surprise), whatever you fancy. Cheers!
