Key Events of the Match:
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15th Over: Sri Lanka 61-3 (Samarawickrama 19, Perera 10)
In the fifteenth over, Sri Lanka’s score is 61-3 with Samarawickrama and Perera at the crease. Glenn, the leg-spinner, continues bowling for England. Commentator Charlie Dagnall notes that her control has improved over the past year. However, she bowls her worst ball of the match, a wide half-volley which Samarawickrama effortlessly drives for four.
Time for drinks break. England is currently in a commanding position.
14th Over: Sri Lanka 55-3 (Samarawickrama 18, Perera 5)
Sri Lanka’s batting struggles continue as they reach 55-3 in the fourteenth over. Heather Knight, the England captain, decides to introduce Lauren Filer, a 22-year-old seamer, into the attack. Filer, who has already played an Ashes Test, bowls at a brisk 75mph. Samarawickrama, however, handles her short-pitched deliveries well and manages to score two runs off each of them. With this, the players take a drinks break, with England firmly in control of the match.
13th Over: Sri Lanka 50-3 (Samarawickrama 13, Perera 5)
In the thirteenth over, Glenn keeps the pressure on Sri Lanka, allowing only three singles. The third single brings up Sri Lanka’s fifty, but it has taken them 78 balls to reach this milestone. Their approach is reminiscent of old-school cricket.
12th Over: Sri Lanka 47-3 (Samarawickrama 11, Perera 4)
Kate Cross, known for her hard work ethic, continues to bowl for England in the twelfth over. Knight is confident in her abilities and gives her a sixth consecutive over in the heat. Cross, however, struggles a bit in this over, conceding a couple of easy scoring opportunities to the left-handed batters. Perera manages to hit a well-timed shot for four runs, while Samarawickrama settles for three with a fine boundary save by Maia Bouchier. Despite this over not going as well for Cross, England remains in control.
11th Over: Sri Lanka 40-3 (Samarawickrama 8, Perera 0)
England takes another wicket! Heather Knight brings on spin in the eleventh over, and it has an immediate impact. Gunaratne, the new batter, misjudges the delivery from Glenn and is adjudged LBW. The ball doesn’t turn as expected, going straight instead, causing Gunaratne to miss it completely. It’s a clear dismissal, and Sri Lanka finds themselves in more trouble. The powerplay ends, with England firmly on top of the game.
Powerplay ends: England on top
The powerplay comes to an end, with Sri Lanka’s score at 37-2 after ten overs. England has had the upper hand so far, thanks to the excellent bowling from Gaur and Cross.
10th Over: Sri Lanka 37-2 (Samarawickrama 5, Gunaratne 9)
Kate Cross continues her spell in the tenth over, hoping to take another wicket for England. She appeals vociferously for a caught behind against Gunaratne, but there is no interest from the bowler herself. The ball seems to flick off the pad rather than the bat. However, Gunaratne hits back with a well-executed on-drive, scoring four runs. The powerplay ends, and England remains in a commanding position.
9th Over: Sri Lanka 31-2 (Samarawickrama 5, Gunaratne 3)
In the ninth over, Knight decides to stick with her current bowlers. Gaur, who has been swinging the ball well, challenges the right-handed Samarawickrama and beats her with her excellent delivery. Gaur is proving herself to be a senior player despite her young age, much like Jofra Archer did for the men’s team in 2019. England hopes she can avoid injuries and continue her promising career.
8th Over: Sri Lanka 30-2 (Samarawickrama 5, Gunaratne 2)
Gaur may be grabbing the headlines, but Cross has also been impressive in her spell. She has bowled four overs, including a maiden, and hasn’t conceded many runs. Sri Lanka struggles to score off her bowling.
7th Over: Sri Lanka 27-2 (Samarawickrama 3, Gunaratne 1)
Mahika Gaur, a 17-year-old player, has been the standout performer of the match so far. She gets another breakthrough in the seventh over, dismissing Sanjeewani with another impressive delivery. Gaur pitches the ball full to the right-handed batter, and it swings late, striking the middle stump. Gaur, making her debut for the England ODI team, now has two wickets for 21 runs.
6th Over: Sri Lanka 22-1 (Sanjeewani 5, Samarawickrama 0)
Kate Cross, who has been performing well, continues her spell in the sixth over. She bowls a maiden over to Sanjeewani, who has faced 19 balls without scoring a run. England is in a dominant position at this point.
Wicket! Atapaththu b Gaur 10 (SL 22-1)
Mahika Gaur gets the breakthrough for England! On her ODI debut, she takes the crucial wicket of Atapaththu. Gaur produces a swing, pitching the ball off and hitting the off stump. Atapaththu defends as if it’s heading for the middle stump, which it ultimately hits. This is top-class bowling from the young player.
4th Over: Sri Lanka 16-0 (Sanjeewani 0, Atapaththu 10)
Kate Cross’s second over is similar to Gaur’s spell. She bowls a few good deliveries, but also delivers a loose ball that Atapaththu capitalizes on and hits for four runs. England needs to dismiss Atapaththu early to gain control of the match.
3rd Over: Sri Lanka 12-0 (Sanjeewani 0, Atapaththu 6)
Gaur continues to impress in the third over, beating Atapaththu with a magnificent delivery. However, she misses her line with her next ball, and Atapaththu takes advantage of it, hitting it for four runs. Gaur follows up with an LBW appeal against Sanjeewani, but the length of the delivery isn’t enough to threaten the stumps.
2nd Over: Sri Lanka 6-0 (Sanjeewani 0, Atapaththu 1)
Kate Cross, who is 14 years older than Gaur, also poses a challenge for the Sri Lankan batters in the second over. Sanjeewani, the right-handed batter, tries to play outside off but misses. Atapaththu manages to take the first run off the bat, scoring a single to square leg.
1st Over: Sri Lanka 5-0 (Sanjeewani 0, Atapaththu 0)
In the first over, Gaur showcases her swing and height, causing problems for the Sri Lankan opening batters. However, she also delivers a wide ball that swings further after passing the pads. This ball eludes Amy Jones, the wicketkeeper, and reaches the boundary. Later in the over, Gaur deliveres a beauty of a delivery that beats Sanjeewani’s bat and clears the stumps. A promising start for Gaur.
The Match Begins:
The players take the field
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