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England vs India: Hosts survive late fightback as Nat Sciver-Brunt and Amy Jones hit half-centuries to seal five-run victory

Nat Sciver-Brunt and Amy Jones guided England to a five-run victory in their final ICC Women's T20 World Cup warm-up match against India on Wednesday; watch the ICC Women's T20 World Cup exclusively live on Sky Sports

Nat Sciver-Brunt made a half-century, before she was dismissed for 57 off 45 deliveries
Image: Nat Sciver-Brunt made a half-century, before she was dismissed for 57 off 45 deliveries

England survived a late fightback from India as Nat Sciver-Brunt and Amy Jones struck half-centuries to lead Charlotte Edwards' side to a five-run victory in their second and final ICC Women's T20 World Cup warm-up match against India.

After suffering a five-wicket defeat to Australia in their first warm-up match on Monday, England's batters impressed, with Jones, who was pushed up the order to open alongside Danni Wyatt-Hodge, making 64 off 45 deliveries before she was dismissed.

Sciver-Brunt followed suit and looked much more fluid at the crease compared to her performance earlier in the week, bringing up a half-century off 43 deliveries, with her side setting India a target of 172 to win.

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Nat Sciver‑Brunt seemed to be caught by India's wicket keeper Richa Ghosh off a deflection from her foot, but with no DRS available India were unable to review.

England's bowlers, including 18-year-old Tilly Corteen-Coleman, impressed as they worked their way through India's middle order, with Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia and Harmanpreet Kaur all falling for less than 20 runs.

However, wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh kept the visitors in the game and set up a nervy finish, cutting the deficit with a half-century of her own.

Ghosh left India needing 17 runs off the final over, and she dazzled at the crease, hitting five boundaries, including two booming sixes in the final seven deliveries she faced.

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England's Tilly Courteen-Coleman shows her class in the field as he takes an outrageous catch from superbly stuck ball of India's Smriti Mandhana to get England's defence of their score to good start.

But Edwards' side kept their cool, with stand-in wicketkeeper Alice Capsey showing her quick reactions to stump Ghosh (68 for 36 balls) with just three deliveries remaining.

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Linsey Smith took the final wicket of the day, dismissing Renuka Singh, who top-edged the ball to Charlie Dean at cover.

England's T20 World Cup group fixtures

  • vs Sri Lanka (Friday June 12) - Edgbaston, Birmingham (6.30pm)
  • vs Ireland (Tuesday June 16) - Utilita Bowl, Southampton (6.30pm)
  • vs Scotland (Saturday June 20) - Headingley, Leeds (6.30pm)
  • vs West Indies (Wednesday June 24) - Lord's, London (6.30pm)
  • vs New Zealand (Saturday June 27) - The Kia Oval, London (6.30pm)

Sciver-Brunt makes fifty, but survives wicket scare

Sciver-Brunt looked much more fluid at the crease on Wednesday, hitting eight boundaries
Image: Sciver-Brunt looked much more fluid at the crease on Wednesday, hitting eight boundaries

The England captain enjoyed a brilliant knock, bouncing back after she struggled to settle in on Monday against Australia, where she made three runs off seven deliveries, before being bowled out by Alana King.

After a two-month injury lay-off, Sciver-Brunt looked back to her best, sweeping away eight boundaries as she brought up a half-ton off 43 deliveries.

She rode her luck after she was caught out by Ghosh behind the stumps off a fizzing delivery from Shreyanka Patil, with Sciver-Brunt sitting on 21 runs. There is no television review system in place during ICC Women's T20 World Cup warm-up matches, and despite India's appeals, Sciver-Brunt survived.

While the captain made the most of her lifeline, bringing up a score of 57 from 45 balls, Shreyanka finally took the captain's wicket, with Sciver-Brunt caught out by Yadav at deep mid-wicket.

Jones stars, but Wyatt-Hodge struggles

Amy Jones posted England's highest score, with an impressive 64 off 45 deliveries against India on Wednesday
Image: Amy Jones posted England's highest score, with an impressive 64 off 45 deliveries against India on Wednesday

Jones replicated her brilliant score of 67 against India in the first match of their three-game T20 series in Chelmsford. She was ruthless with the bat, smashing Yadav for three fours in a row in the 10th over.

Three overs later, Shafali Verma pinned Jones back in her crease with a beautiful delivery that swung back into Jones' middle stump and sent the wicketkeeper walking for 64 runs.

Wyatt-Hodge struggled at the crease, making three runs off six deliveries, before she edged a beautiful delivery at her off stump by Renuka Singh to Richa Ghosh behind the stumps.

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England's Nat Sciver-Brunt, Heather Knight, Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Sophia Dunkley reveal who their funniest team-mate is, who is always late and name the hardest trainer.

She returned to the England side for their second T20I against India following a period of maternity leave, but she has found it difficult to settle in and build a score.

The 35-year-old made 29 runs on her return, and followed that up with a score of five off five balls in her side's final T20I match against India. On Monday, she struggled to break into double figures again, returning four runs from five deliveries in England's warm-up match against Australia.

Corteen-Coleman takes two wickets in third T20 international

Tilly Corteen-Coleman impressed, notably dismissing India captain Harmanpreet Kaur
Image: Tilly Corteen-Coleman impressed, notably dismissing India captain Harmanpreet Kaur

Youngster Corteen-Coleman dazzled with her bowling and also took an exceptional diving catch to dismiss India opener Smriti Mandhana (1) off a Dani Gibson delivery.

In only her third international match, the 18-year-old troubled the Indian batters, taking figures of 2-22. She produced a shorter ball that fizzed back onto India captain Harmanpreet Kaur (17), who sprayed a cut shot out to Gibson at short third for her first wicket.

Alongside that, she demonstrated her tactical nuance by bringing deep square leg up inside the ring, before forcing Radha Yadav to sweep a top edge up to Lauren Filer for her second dismissal of the day.

Smith, meanwhile, came in clutch for England at the very end of the match to remove both Ghosh and Renuka, on her way to picking up a three-wicket haul.

Capsey brilliant behind the stumps

Capsey (second left) proved a safe pair of hands behind the stumps
Image: Capsey (third left) proved a safe pair of hands behind the stumps

Capsey proved today that England have another safe pair of hands to take Jones' place, if she needs to step back from keeping duties.

Capsey stood up to the stumps to Gibson and plucked an edge from Bharti Fulmali, out of nowhere, to dismiss the India batter for 18 runs.

It was Capsey's quick thinking behind the stumps that also saw England snare Ghosh just as the top-order batter was smashing the visitors towards victory.

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