India A 281 for 7 (Punia 61, Tanisha 58) beat England A 222 (Pavely 62, Vaishnavi 3-52, Mani 3-39) by 59 wins
India won the toss and ran up an imposing 281 for 7 in their 50 overs on a worn pitch, Punia top-scoring with 61 from 68 balls and Tanisha raising 58 from 72. Charley Phillips and Grace Scrivens took two wickets apiece for England, but useful contributions of 39 by Harleen Deol and 34 from Niki Prasad afforded the tourists the upper hand.
England struggled with the bat in the face of disciplined bowling, Charis Pavely making 62, Scrivens 46 and skipper Kira Chathli 39 as the home side were dismissed for 222 in 45.2 overs. The pick of the Indian bowlers, spinners Vaishnavi Sharma and Minnu Mani took 3 for 52 and 3 for 39 respectively.
India were buoyed by a progressive opening partnership of 116 in 22.4 overs between Tanisha and Punia. Untroubled by the new ball, these two excelled against the change bowlers, picking the gaps and running hard to afford the innings early impetus.
Punia was first to 50, reaching that landmark via 53 deliveries with half a dozen fours. Demonstrating slick footwork, Tanisha also garnered six boundaries in raising a 67-ball half century as the stand realised three figures.
England needed a breakthrough and Scrivens obliged, removing both openers in the space of two overs after switching ends. Punia sent a loose drive to mid-off, while Tanisha was caught at the wicket as India reached halfway on 129 for 2.
Ensuring there was no loss of tempo, Deol and Tejal Hasabnis exploited spin in adding 50 from 61 balls for the third wicket. Although Chloe Skelton had Hasabnis held in the deep for 24, Deol and Mani added 40 in quick time as India continued to dominate.
England hit back, Paveley removing Deol for 39 and Phillips bowling Mani for 31 as India slipped to 219 for 5. But Prasad ensured there was no respite for the England bowlers, raising 34 from 29 balls before hoisting Phillips to Niamh Holland at deep midwicket in the final over.
Sayali Satghari and Saima Thakor rubber-stamped India’s authority with the ball, restricting England to just a solitary boundary in a 10-over powerplay that yielded 26 for the loss of Ella McCaughan. Scoring proved no less difficult against the spinners, Tanuja Kanwar taking a diving return catch to dismiss Abi Norgrove for 16 and Mani inducing Jodi Grewcock to hole out to deep square as England lurched to 43 for 3.
Representing England’s last realistic hope, Scrivens was pinned lbw by Vaishnavi’s slow left arm, departing for a 68-ball 46 with the score 84 for 4 at halfway. Chathli did her level best to force the issue thereafter, only to fall lbw to Mani as India pressed home their advantage.
When Vaishnavi found the outside edge and had Holland caught behind for 22 and then persuaded Sophia Smale to hit to long-on with the score 177 for 7 after 38 overs, the game was effectively up. Pavely went to 50 with a six off Kanwar, but it was too little too late for England.
