England cruised to a 2-0 ODI series win over Sri Lanka; Nat Sciver-Brunt scored a century off just 66 deliveries on her way to 120; Maia Bouchier (95) also starred with the bat for England; Charlie Dean (5-31) put in a scintillating performance with the ball
Friday 15 September 2023 08:27, UK
Nat Sciver-Brunt smashed England's fastest women's ODI century, taking just 66 balls, as England cruised to a 161-run victory in Leicester to seal a 2-0 series win over Sri Lanka.
In a rain-reduced, 31-over match it was a special day all round for Sciver-Brunt (120) as she not only captained the side in Heather Knight's absence but also won her 100th ODI cap, topping it off with an incredible record-breaking century that included 18 fours and one six, beating the 70-ball record set by Charlotte Edwards.
Her innings was alongside a brilliant showing by Maia Bouchier (95) who came heartbreakingly close to her maiden ODI century, 191 runs in 121 balls between the two cementing a sublime partnership.
With a daunting target of 274 set for Sri Lanka, a brilliant maiden five-for from Charlie Dean (5-31) made light work of their batting attack, taking three wickets in one scintillating over, as the visitors were bowled out for 112, giving England a dominant 2-0 series win.
Following a rain delay of more than three hours, Sri Lanka chose to bowl and looked promising, Achini Kulasuriya (1-48) dismissing Tammy Beaumont (2) in the second over before an absolute beauty from Udeshika Prabodhani (1-38) saw Alice Capsey (6) suffer a short stay at the crease, England finishing the six-over powerplay 28-2 and looking in trouble.
However, with Sciver-Brunt and Bouchier at the crease England started firing and the boundary-laden partnership was born.
An incredible shift of momentum saw a half-century partnership come in just 30 balls, Bouchier then smashing three boundaries in a row to bring up her maiden half-century, five fours and two sixes in the space of 38 deliveries helping her on her way.
The 15th over brought two more big moments for a partnership that blended youth and experience, the century-stand between Bouchier and Sciver-Brunt being followed by a special half-century for Sciver-Brunt on her 100th ODI appearance, an incredibly powerful boundary securing her 32-ball 50.
Sciver-Brunt's incredible day then only got better as she romped on to secure England's fastest women's ODI century in just 66 deliveries to the rapturous applause of team-mates and spectators, 14 fours and one six helping her on her way.
The joy for Sciver-Brunt was then quickly followed with heartbreak for Bouchier as she fell five runs short of her first ODI century via lbw from a Kavisha Dilhari (3-42) delivery.
The captain's historic innings was ended with just five overs remaining after being caught from an Inoka Ranaweera (1-53) delivery, leaving Amy Jones (9), Bess Heath on debut (21), Alice Davidson-Richards (2), Charlie Dean (2no) and Sarah Glenn (7) to combine and set Sri Lanka the perilous task of scoring 274 runs in 31 overs.
England's young bowling prospects made their mark once again early on in Sri Lanka's innings, Lauren Filer (3-30) striking twice to dismiss Anushka Sanjeewani (13) and Imesha Dulani (5), Mahika Gaur (1-29) then getting in on the action to end the innings of Harshitha Samarawickrama (1).
Sri Lanka then slipped to 46-4 as Dean then began a memorable cameo and took the big wicket of captain Chamari Athapaththu (12) via lbw, the young spin bowler coming alive in the 15th over as she reduced Sri Lanka from 81-4 to 83-7 with three wickets, dismissing Hansima Karunaratne (15), Hasini Perera (32) and Kavisha Dilhari (1) with some sublime off-spin.
A maiden five-wicket haul then came for Dean as Udeshika Prabodhani (2) dragged it onto her stumps, Sarah Glenn (1-21) then then getting in on the action to take out Oshadi Ranasinghe (6) before Filer finished proceedings by bowling Achini Kulasuriya (12), Sri Lanka slumping to 112 all out and handing England a dominant 161-run victory.
Player of the Match and stand-in England captain, Nat Sciver-Brunt:
"I was really happy to bat the way I did and carry on what I did against Australia [in the Women's Ashes].
"Playing so much cricket through the summer, we probably don't need to train too many things. Just be right in the mind and right in the body.
"That's what I was trying to do. Rest a bit in the T20 series and make sure I was switched on for the ODIs."
Player of the Series, Lauren Filer, for her eight wickets:
"It's been a whirlwind summer and great to finish it off with a win. I am grateful for every moment.
"I have tried to use the hardness of the new ball, bowled attacking lines, trying to hit the stumps and get batters driving.
"Adding variations is key. The women's game is growing and being able to just bowl quick isn't going to be enough soon."
