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The County Ground in Hove witnessed a one-sided contest between England Women and Sri Lanka Women.
Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl first, aiming to restrict England’s batting lineup. The home team’s innings got off to a flying start, as their top order batters set the stage for a formidable total. Maia Bouchier (22 off 18), Danielle Wyatt (48 off 30), and Alice Capsey (51 off 27) were the standout performers, with Capsey’s explosive innings including 5 fours and 3 sixes. Freya Kemp (20 off 10) and Heather Knight (23 off 17) also contributed, enabling England to post a commanding total of 186-4 in their allotted 17 overs.
The Sri Lankan bowlers faced a tough challenge in containing England’s aggressive batting display. Chamari Atapattu (1/25) and Inoka Ranaweera (1/35) were the most successful bowlers, but they struggled to consistently stem the flow of runs. Udeshika Prabodhani and Sugandika Kumari went wicketless, conceding 53 and 34 runs respectively.
England won by DLS method
Chasing a target of 187, Sri Lanka faced an uphill battle against a disciplined England bowling attack. Vishmi Rajapaksha (17 off 16) and Chamari Atapattu (15 off 10) showed glimpses of resistance, but the required run rate proved too demanding. Nilakshi de Silva (18 off 8) added some quick runs before Sri Lanka’s innings came to a premature end at 55-3 after 6 overs as rain halted the play.
England’s bowlers were clinical in defending their total, with debutant Mahika Gaur (1/16) and Charlotte Dean (1/6) taking crucial wickets. Kate Cross (0/22) and Danielle Gibson (0/11) kept the pressure on Sri Lanka batters, preventing them from mounting a substantial challenge.
In the end, England emerged victorious by a margin of 12 runs (DLS method), underscoring their dominance in the match. Alice Capsey’s exceptional batting performance earned her the well-deserved ‘Player of the Match’ award.