India W vs England W: Dunkley, Cross shine as England seals series win

Sophia Dunkley's unbeaten 73 coupled with Kate Cross' 5 for 34 powered England to a five-wicket win over India in the second ODI in Taunton on Wednesday.

Published : Jul 01, 2021 02:03 IST

Sophia Dunkley of England celebrates reaching her fifty with Katherine Brunt.

Sophia Dunkley's unbeaten 73 coupled with Kate Cross' 5 for 34 powered England to a five-wicket win over India in the second ODI in Taunton on Wednesday.

Needing 222 to win, the host got over the line with 15 balls to spare. England was reeling at 92 for four at one stage but Dunkley's 41-run partnership with Amy Jones thwarted India's surge. Dunkley then put on 92 runs with Katherine Brunt to deny India a series-levelling win. England leads the multi-format series by six points to two.

HIGHLIGHTS |

Earlier, put in to bat, India was dismissed for 221.

Captain Mithali Raj top-scored with 59 off 92 balls with seven fours and stitched together a 68-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Harmanpreet Kaur (19).

Young opener Shafali Verma contributed 44 off 55 balls while the other opener, Smriti Mandhana, scored 22 before being the first of seamer Kate Cross’ five victims. Shafali and Smriti had added 56.

Jemimah Rodrigues, who had replaced Punam Raut, struck two boundaries before falling to Cross for eight. Shafali departed a run later, stumped by Amy Jones off left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone.

Mithali and Harmanpreet did the repair job before the latter was caught and bowled by Cross. Wickets fell regularly before the last-wicket pair of Jhulan Goswami (19 n.o.,s 19b, 3x4) and Poonam Yadav (10, 15b, 1x4) added 29 to take India to a respectable total. Cross finished with impressive figures of five for 34. Ecclestone’s spell read 10-2-33-3.

(with inputs from PTI)