Venue: Bristol
Format: Test
Toss: England
Result: Draw
A Draw is a Beautiful Thing
It is often a much maligned result in Test cricket, the draw, but sometimes it proves to be a beautiful thing. In the case of the one-off Test between England and India, it was just that: a beautiful draw.
England had one debutant, Sophia Dunkley, while India had quite a few more having not played a Test since 2014. Allrounders Deepti Sharma and Pooja Vastrakar, wicket keeper Taniya Bhatia, off-break bowler Sneh Rana, and the explosive opening batter Shafali Verma all made their debut for India.
Day One
Heather Knight won the toss for England at Bristol and chose to bat. No difficulty with that decision and India’s Mithali Raj said she would have done the same had the coin rolled favourably for her.
“Bat first” is the preferred option in women’s cricket and this Bristol wicket underlined that and put it in a larger font. There were runs for the cautious and cavalier alike. A solid opening partnership of 69 between Lauren Winfield-Hill (35) and Tammy Beaumont (66) continued in a steady manner following the dismissal of the former. The arrival of the captain at the crease continued the momentum and Knight was in in vintage form.
With Beaumont being Sneh Rana’s first wicket in Test cricket, Nat Sciver (42) just continued the production line of runs for England, but with her dismissal came more. Amy Jones (1) fell LBW to Rana and then the captain was trapped by Deepti Sharma just 5 runs short of her second Test century. It had been a fine knock by Knight and certainly deserving of a century.
Once Georgia Elwiss became Sneh Rana’s third victim of the day it was up to Dunkley (12*) and Kathryn Brunt (7*) to see England to stumps, a solid 269/6 but the late wickets in the final session helped to put India back in the game.
Day Two
Brunt (8) didn’t last long, Jhulan Goswami’s only wicket for the innings but Dunkley brought some of her shorter format flair to the crease and delighted the crowd on her way to an unbeaten 74. She had a willing cohort in Anya Shrubsole who clubbed a bright 47 from only 33 deliveries. It was a continuation of Anya’s domestic form with the bat.
Once Shrubsole was out, Knight declared the innings closed at 396/9. Sneh Rana was India’s a best with 4-131. She toiled gainfully and was aided by Deepti Sharma who collected 3-65.
All eyes were on Shafali. Would this explosive T20 dynamo score a flashy 20 runs off 5 balls and then get out? Far from it. The youngster displayed an excellent technique and crafted her innings. It was as though this was a different player. At the other end, ever sublime, the left handed Smriti Mandhana. Their partnership of 167 on this batting track a spectacle.
Then they got out. From the sublime to the ridiculous. India had gone from 167/0 to 187/5 at stumps. Seven bowlers used by Heather Knight and her clever changes brought about wickets where wickets should not have fallen.
Day Three
After 167/0 India were all of a sudden all out for 231. It was scarcely believable. Knight herself took 2-7 while Sophie Ecclestone finished with 4-88. The England captain knows a thing or two about the time resources in women’s Tests. She enforced the follow-on.
India began their mountainous climb to wipe off the 165 run deficit and once again Shafali Verma demonstrated technique and patience for Test cricket. Smriti Mandhana (8) fell to Katherine Brunt but Deepti Sharma, promoted to number three, safely negotiated the England attack and with Verma took the score to 83/1 at stumps, nearly half the deficit gone.
Day Four
Early wickets were the order of the day but they were not forthcoming. Verma continued her good innings and reached her half century, eventually out for 63. India simply needed to occupy the crease and Punam Raut, in at four knows exactly how to do that. It’s her bread and butter.
The Sophie Ecclestone struck, removing Deepti Sharma for a well made 54. And again, the big wicket of Mithali Raj (8). Then the immovable rock, Punam Raut for 39. India’s batting was folding like a bad poker hand. When Pooja and Harman were dismissed, India were 199/7, only 34 runs in front with three wickets in hand.
The momentum for England stopped, in the form of Sneh Rana. An unlikely saviour first with Shikha Pandey (18) and then the plucky keeper, Taniya Bhatia (44*). This last pair played out time, putting on an unbeaten 104 run partnership to finish with 344/8. Sheh’s contribution was 80 not out.
This final day had ebbed and flowed, looking for all money like an England victory until the stubborn resistance by India’s tail. The match ended in a draw but one cannot watch gripping cricket on the final day of a Test as was shown here, and come away disappointed. It was a beautiful draw.
Scores:
England 396/9 decl (Knight 95, Dunkley 74*, Beaumont 66, Shrubsole 47, Rana 4-131, Sharma 3-65) 121.2 overs
India 231 (Verma 96, Mandhana 78, Ecclestone 4-88, Knight 2-7) 81.2 overs and 344/8 (Rana 80*, Verma 63, Sharma 54, Bhatia 44*, Ecclestone 4-118) 121 overs
Player of the Match: Shafali Verma