Sciver-Brunt, Ecclestone heroics thump hapless Sri Lanka
Nat Sciver-Brunt
England produced a commanding all-round performance to outclass Sri Lanka in their ICC Women’s World Cup fixture at the R. Premadasa Stadium yesterday, as captain Nat Sciver-Brunt’s swashbuckling century and Sophie Ecclestone’s clinical spell of spin bowling secured a thumping 89-run victory for the visitors. The win, England’s third in as many games, has placed them firmly at the top of the points table with six points.
After being put into bat on a sluggish surface that promised assistance for spinners, Sciver-Brunt stood tall with a majestic run-a-ball 117, propelling England to a formidable 253-9. The world’s top-ranked ODI bowler, Ecclestone, then weaved her magic, taking 4 for 17 in 10 overs to dismantle Sri Lanka’s chase, which never truly got off the ground. The hosts were bowled out for 164 in 46.4 overs.
Having lost their opening match to India and seen their second fixture against Australia washed out, Sri Lanka entered the contest desperate for a turnaround. But those hopes were soon dashed. Chasing 254 under lights on a turning pitch, the hosts faltered early. Skipper Chamari Athapaththu, their most reliable batter, retired hurt on seven after the sixth over, while young Vishmi Gunaratne was bowled through the gate by Charlie Dean for 10, off the very first ball she faced from the off-spinner. At 37-1 after 10 overs, Sri Lanka were already under pressure.
A fighting 58-run stand between Hasini Perera and Harshitha Samarawickrama briefly revived the innings, taking the score to 95-1 at the 20-over mark. But just as Sri Lanka looked to be building momentum, Ecclestone’s reintroduction in the 21st over triggered a dramatic collapse.
Perera, who had played with admirable calm and composure, offered a simple catch to mid-on off Ecclestone’s first ball. Three runs later, Samarawickrama perished for 33, undone by extra bounce while attempting a sweep. Kavisha Dilhari was cleaned up for four, and when Athapaththu returned to bat after treatment, she too fell victim to Ecclestone. She was bowled attempting an ambitious drive through the line. The left-arm spinner’s control and guile were exceptional; her spell featured three maidens and four wickets that ripped through Sri Lanka’s middle order.
Inoka Ranaweera
Sciver-Brunt, already the star of the day with the bat, compounded Sri Lanka’s misery by trapping Anushka Sanjeewani leg-before for 10 before claiming Dewmi Vihanga caught at midwicket to finish with two wickets. Alice Capsey, Dean and Smith joined the act to mop up the tail as Sri Lanka slumped from 95 for one to 157 all out– a collapse that summed up their evening.
Earlier, England’s innings revolved entirely around their captain’s poise and precision. Sciver-Brunt arrived at the crease with her side in early trouble after Amy Jones was run out for 11, and Tammy Beaumont departed for 32 attempting a lofted drive. At 49-2 in the 10th over, Sri Lanka sensed an opportunity. But the English skipper, composed and calculating, rebuilt with Heather Knight in a crucial 60-run stand for the third wicket.
Knight’s 29 provided the stability England needed, but it was Sciver-Brunt who dictated the tempo. She reached her half-century off 57 balls, rotating the strike intelligently and punishing anything loose. Once settled, she shifted gears with trademark authority, clearing the ropes twice over midwicket in a late flourish that silenced the home crowd. Her innings wasn’t without fortune. She was dropped on just three when Udeshika Prabodhani spilled a sharp chance at midwicket, but from there, she never looked back.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers, led by the ever-dependable Inoka Ranaweera, fought hard to contain England’s surge. Ranaweera’s 3 for 33 in 10 overs was a masterclass in control, her subtle variations earning her wickets in quick succession, including the prized scalps of Emma Lamb and Alice Capsey in the same over. Udeshika Prabodhani and Sugandika Kumari chipped in with two wickets apiece, but Sciver-Brunt’s unwavering presence ensured England remained in command.
England added 74 runs in the final 10 overs, with their captain orchestrating most of it. By the time she departed, caught on the penultimate ball of the innings, England had surged past 250, a total that always looked formidable given the conditions. When Sciver-Brunt walked off the field, she had not only registered her 10th ODI century but also reaffirmed her stature as one of the game’s finest batters.
| Scoreboard | |
| England Amy Jones run out 11 Tammy Beaumont c Samarawickrama b Kumari 32 Heather Knight c Vihanga b Ranaweera 29 Nat Sciver-Brunt c Silva b Prabodhani 117 Sophia Dunkley c and b Dilhari 18 Emma Lamb b Ranaweera 13 Alice Capsey st Sanjeewani b Ranaweera 00 Charlie Dean c Vihanga b Prabodhani 19 Sophie Ecclestone st Sanjeewani b Kumari 03 Linsey Smith not out 05 Lauren Bell not out 01 Extras (b1, lb1, w3) 05 Total (9 wickets; 50 over) 253 Fall of wickets: 1-24 (Jones, 3.4ov), 2-49 (Beaumont, 9.3ov), 3-109 (Knight, 21.4ov), 4-146 (Dunkley, 30.2ov), 5-168 (Lamb, 34.1ov), 6-168 (Capsey, 34.5ov), 7-206 (Dean, 45.3ov), 8-216 (Ecclestone, 46.4ov), 9-252 (Sciver-Brunt, 49.5ov) Bowling: Udeshika Prabodhani 9-0-55-2, Sugandika Kumari 10-0-66-2, Chamari Athapaththu 5-0-21-0, Inoka Ranaweera 10-1-33-3, Dewmi Vihanga 8-0-42-0, Kavisha Dilhari 8-0-34-1 Sri Lanka Hasini Perera c Capsey b Ecclestone 35 Chamari Athapaththu b Ecclestone 15 Vishmi Gunaratne b Dean 10 Harshitha Samarawickrama c Bell b Ecclestone 33 Kavisha Dilhari b Ecclestone 04 Nilakshika Silva c Knight b Capsey 23 Anushka Sanjeewani lbw b Sciver-Brunt 10 Dewmi Vihanga c Dean b Sciver-Brunt 03 Sugandika Kumari b Dean 04 Udeshika Prabodhani c Sciver-Brunt b Smith 00 Inoka Ranaweera not out 03 Extras (lb6, w18) 24 Total (all out; 45.4 overs) 164 Fall of wickets: Fall of wickets: 0-18* (Athapaththu, retired not out), 1-37 (Gunaratne, 9.1ov), 2-95 (Perera, 20.1ov), 3-98 (Samarawickrama, 22.3ov), 4-103 (Dilhari, 24.5ov), 5-116 (Athapaththu, 28.6ov), 6-134 (Sanjeewani, 33.3ov), 7-145 (Vihanga, 37.4ov), 8-157 (Silva, 39.6ov), 9-157 (Kumari, 40.1ov), 10-164 (Prabodhani, 45.4ov) Bowling: Lauren Bell 8-1-32-0, Linsey Smith 8.4-1-22-1, Nat Sciver-Brunt 5-0-25-2, Charlie Dean 9-1-47-2, Alice Capsey 5-1-15-1, Sophie Ecclestone 10-3-17-4 |