Deep(ti) trouble

Navi Mumbai, December 15

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Deepti Sharma’s stunning all-round show, a fifty and a five-for, provided India a perfect launching pad to record their maiden home victory in the traditional format over England after the second day of their one-off Test here today.

After a patient 113-ball 67 in India’s first-innings total of 428, Deepti destroyed the England line-up with a sensational 5.3-4-7-5 spell helping the hosts take a massive 292-run lead. The visitors were bundled out for 136 in their first essay despite Nat Sciver-Brunt’s composed 59.

India did not enforce the follow-on and reached 186/6 in their second innings at stumps, for an overall lead of 478.

Deepti was at the heart of India’s effort when they grabbed six England wickets for a mere 10 runs that saw them tumbling spectacularly from 108/3.

As the game progressed, the DY Patil Stadium pitch offered turn and variable bounce for spinners, leaving the batters in a quandary. The day also saw 19 wickets falling from either side and 15 of them were grabbed by spinners.

“The wicket was behaving differently since morning. There was not as much turn yesterday (on Day 1). There was not much bounce for the pacers even though it was in favour of bowling (department) and we handled it well,” Deepti said.

Deepti, of course, was the star of the day, tormenting the English batters with her trickery. The 26-year-old off-spinner began the demolition job by getting rid of Danny Wyatt (19), who began with a string of fours.

It was a classical off-spinner’s dismissal as the Wyatt was caught at short leg for a bat-pad dismissal, and that also sparked a shocking collapse. Deepti soon had Amy Jones (12) caught by Shafali Verma with the ball ricocheting off short-leg Smriti Mandhana’s helmet, while Sophie Ecclestone was a tad unlucky when a delivery from the Indian kept low to crash into her wickets.

Kate Cross became Deepti’s fourth victim through a feeble return catch, while Lauren Filer did not have any answer for her guile.

The Indians were also proactive in the field with constant chirping around England batters and close-in catchers were placed in unorthodox positions to keep them rooted deep into the crease.

Before Deepti came into the picture, pacers Renuka Singh and Pooja Vastrakar kept England in check.

Renuka produced a terrific incoming delivery for India’s first breakthrough, sneaking one through the gate to clean up Sophia Dunkley (11).

In fact, incoming deliveries remained Renuka’s go-to weapon throughout the first spell. Vastrakar was driven for a four by Heather Knight (11) but the seamer moved one back into the England captain, pinning her in front of the wickets. — PTI
6 England lost six wickets for a mere 10 runs. From 108/3, they were bowled out for 136

19 Day 2 saw 19 wickets falling from either side and 15 of them were grabbed by spinners

1 Deepti finished with figures of 5/7, her maiden 5-for, from just 5.3 overs that included four maidens