In front of 14,865 spectators at Edgbaston, England withstood the gravity of their home World Cup opening match to achieve an exciting statement victory over Sri Lanka under the leadership of Danni Wyatt-Hodge.
 |
| Danni Wyatt-Hodge celebrates her hundred with a baby-rocking |
With the help of Amy Jones and Nat Sciver-Brunt, Wyatt-Hodge dominated a struggling Sri Lankan attack with an incredible unbeaten 105 from 62 balls, her first since coming back from maternity leave a few weeks ago and her third in the T20I format.
At the age of 35, she gave a performance in her seventh T20 World Cup that dispelled any worries about England's preparedness to take advantage of their prospects in the upcoming weeks. The left-arm seam of Freya Kemp, whose innings-breaking haul of 4 for 21 helped her side to glide to an undisturbed 87-run victory, took control of England's fielding display after she backed it up with a magnificent running catch.
Openers for England make a statement
After winning the toss, Sri Lanka decided to bowl first, albeit with little justification. Chamari Athapaththu remarked, "We don't know these conditions, and yesterday it rained," at the toss. With an unwavering stand of 135 from 82 balls, Wyatt-Hodge and her new opening partner, Jones, went on the offensive today, and it poured with runs.
Since their underwhelming partnership at this same tournament in Australia in 2020, when the pair's efforts featured a brace of ducks against Thailand, the two had not opened together in a full international. However, the timing was ideal for a reunion, and the circumstances could scarcely have been more favourable, with Sciver-Brunt returning to the starting lineup following a calf injury and Sophia Dunkley paying the price for a lacklustre run of form.
A long delay before the first ball, with something glinting behind the bowler's arm, possibly a leftover from the Wicked set that had served as the tournament's opening ceremony, didn't help Sri Lanka's nerves. Athapaththu duly rang the changes in the powerplay, using four different bowlers in successive overs.
The lack of a traditional midwicket kick-started a diet of frequent leg-side runs, so England didn't have to spring out of the traps. However, the guardrails came down after Jones was dropped off at Backward Square off Athapaththu by Kavisha Dilhari, who may have had more time than she realised. Wyatt-Hodge then hit three offside fours off Malki Madara to take England to 51 for 0 after six.
Wyatt-Hodge assumes leadership
Wyatt-Hodge gave a stunning performance, radiating experience and contentment as she focused on her new baby Daisy. Although her domestic efforts for Surrey, including two hundreds and a 96 in four innings, had left no doubt about her ongoing class, she had arguably been a little lacking in runs since her comeback. She was unquestionably at the pinnacle of England's social hierarchy, and we now know why.
Wyatt-Hodge took control of England's tempo while Jones ticked over beside her. In her 33-ball fifty, she hit eight fours, the last of which, up and over extra cover, revealed her Bebeto-style rock-a-baby celebration for the first time. She then hit the first six of the competition, a powerful slap over long-on off Athapaththu, as England continued to pound at a pace of ten runs per over, giving Sri Lanka no time to gather their thoughts.
The possibility of scoring her third T20I century was the only serious threat to her chanceless innings. When Madara started the last over, she was on 96, but she lost the strike right away due to a poorly executed swipe across a slower ball. With Sciver-Brunt's unbeaten 46 from 22 balls and her ruthless boundary-hunting, it could have been costly.
However, Sciver-Brunt was denied a third consecutive boundary by a deft piece of fielding on the bounce at backward square, leaving Wyatt-Hodge just two balls to complete the victory. A deliberate shuffle to the off-side and a strongly put sweep into backward square were all she needed. With a final launch up and over long-off, Edgbaston screamed as the Bebeto emerged once more, capping an incredible evening for the longest-serving campaigner in England.
The support act from England demonstrates their class
Jones is a passionate England opener who has recently flourished in the ODI role, particularly last summer's back-to-back hundreds against the West Indies. Even though her partner ultimately outperformed her, her comeback to the top provided sufficient rationale for England's rejig. Even though she had a little more luck along the way, such as a poor drop on 48 when Sugandika Kumari mishandled a return opportunity on the third attempt, she hardly lagged in tempo with a fifty from 34 balls. Madara's maiden World Cup wicket came via the captain's effortless low grab at cover.
If that seemed like a break for Sri Lanka, it wasn't. The fact that Sciver-Brunt is only playing as a hitter indicates that her calf strain has been a persistent worry for England throughout the summer. However, this was a return to ease any immediate anxieties.
Sciver-Brunt's timing was superb from the start, and her range of shots is still a cut above, despite a difficult opportunity in the deep on 14. Among her six fours were a dinky ramp over the keeper off Mithali Ayodhya, whom she quickly hammered down the ground one ball later; and what may have been the night's best stroke, a contemptuously powerful drive past the covers to raise England's 200 in the penultimate over. England's captain is in the form and mood to win this tournament, barring an unexpected "pop" of that annoying calf.
With attitude, England closes it out
A target of 220 was never feasible for Sri Lanka, even with an Athapaththu masterpiece. The second half's primary match was England against themselves, and they decisively prevailed thanks to an incredibly inspiring display of talent and confidence. To get all six of England's bowlers involved in the World Cup atmosphere, they were handed a sighter within the first nine overs. By the time Kemp, the final bowler, tore through the lower order, including taking three in four balls, they had completely fulfilled their brief.
Lauren Bell claimed England's first wicket of the World Cup with a precise lbw that Vishmi Gunaratne reviewed in vain. However, Wyatt-Hodge, the player of the moment, was able to remove Sri Lanka's queenpin, Athapaththu, with a dashing, spinning, sprawled catch at deep square leg. Despite not having the right to take the catch, she executed it flawlessly, reminiscent of Ben Stokes' spectacular performance at The Oval during the men's opening World Cup match in 2019.
The rest of England's fielders upheld Wyatt-Hodge's standards, but she did take the shine off her own performance with two following drops, neither of which was even close to a sitter. Linsey Smith took her maiden wicket when Kemp held onto a quick take at short backward square to dismiss Imesha Dulani. Smith then repaid the favour at deep square leg, setting off Kemp's incredible late comeback.
Kemp's return to bowling has been gradual and meticulously controlled due to a history of back stress fractures; this competition is the ultimate goal. Harshitha Samarawickrama dismissively cuffed her for six over deep midwicket on her first ball of the evening, which was unlucky but ultimately deceptive. She had her retribution before the end of the over with an offcutter, the first of six opportunities in ten balls.
Sophie Ecclestone, England's other veteran player, was allowed to crush the opposition with two wickets in the game's last over, capping the tournament hosts' most encouraging night out.
No comments:
Post a Comment