England secure dramatic series win at Taunton!
More than 6000 people were treated to an incredible night of elite live sport and Indian culture as the Cooper Associates County Ground hosted the winner-take-all IT20 decider between England and India.
On the field, a packed house at Taunton witnessed a dramatic clash which saw England clinch the series, whilst off the field, those present were treated to live music from Bollywood Pandets plus Dohl Drumming by Avtar in the Somerset Leisure Fan Village.
It was doubly special for the Somerset Members and supporters packed into Taunton on a glorious summer evening as home favourite Charlie Dean lifted the series trophy and local legend Heather Knight hit the winning runs.
Alice Capsey also proved her quality on the biggest stage and it was her player of the match performance that turned the game in England’s favour.
Dean won the toss and elected to bowl, but India got off to a relatively strong start as Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma raced to 19 to a cacophony of drums, bells and whistles.
However, the final ball of the second over saw England make the breakthrough when Verma flicked Linsey Smith to a sliding Dean at point.
The England skipper couldn’t stay out of the action and trapped the dangerous Mandhana lbw with her fourth delivery. Despite India reviewing the decision, the umpire’s call was upheld and amid the celebrations, the tourists found themselves on 36 for two in the fourth over.
The score had advanced to 60 in the seventh over when Yastika Bhatia (32) was brilliantly run out by a direct hit from Sophie Ecclestone.
By the halfway stage of their innings, Jemimah Rodrigues and Harmanpreet Kaur had taken India to 94 for three.
The score went to three figures in the 11th over courtesy of a Rodrigues boundary off Lauren Bell. However, the England seamer got her revenge with the very next delivery. A back of the hand slower ball accounting for Rodrigues (29) at 100 for four.
Kaur and Deepti Sharma brought up the 150 after 17 overs before the latter miscued Bell to Dean at mid off to depart for 32 at 167 for five in the penultimate over. The partnership was worth 67.
The India Captain brought up her 17th IT20 half century from 38 deliveries to finish on 56 not out as her side reached 180 for five from their allotted overs.
The England run chase didn’t get off to the optimum start when, with the scoreboard showing 14, Danni Wyatt-Hodge was bowled by Kranti Gaud for five off the last ball of the second over.
That soon became 24 for two when Sophia Dunkley (16) was caught by Rodrigues off the bowling of Arundhati Reddy off the final delivery of the third over.
When Amy Jones picked out Sharma at mid wicket off Gaud, England were in trouble at 38 for three in the sixth over.
Capsey looked to keep her side in the game and dispatched the the final three balls of the sixth over to the boundary for 14 runs to bring up the England 50.
Capsey and Knight continued to accelerate and the fifty partnership for the fourth wicket arrived from just 23 balls with England reaching three figures shortly thereafter in the 11th over.
Capsey’s half century came from just 27 deliveries and included seven fours and a six.
Knight reached her personal landmark from 31 deliveries and the 100 partnership arrived from 56 balls.
Back to back sixes for Capsey off Sree Charani brought up the England 150 as 19 runs came from the 15th over.
Capsey’s sensational innings came to an end when she fell for 82 from 43 balls, caught at short third by a diving Nandani Sharma at 175 for four by which point the match was all but won.
Fittingly, it was Knight (70 not out), on her home ground, who hit the winning runs as England claimed a dramatic win and with it a series victory.
Charlotte Edwards’ side now head into the T20 World Cup in fine form and full of confidence.
