Cricket: England Slump To Crushing Test Defeat By India

England were bowled out in the first session of day three to slump to a crushing 347-run defeat in the one-off Test against India.

Set an improbable 478 to win, England fell to 131 all out inside 27.3 overs.

Spinner Deepti Sharma took 4-32 to finish with nine wickets in the match, and seamer Pooja Vastrakar impressed with 3-23.

It is the first time that India have beaten England in a home Test.

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur declared before the start of play on 186-6 and set England the highest-ever chase in women’s Test cricket, or the unlikely challenge of batting the remaining two days for a draw.

After the spinners dominated day two with 19 wickets falling, it was India’s seamers who dominated the penultimate day as Renuka Singh Thakur struck early to bowl Tammy Beaumont for 17.

Pooja Vastrakar then bowled with impressive discipline and athleticism, gifted a wicket by Sophia Dunkley slashing straight to point before producing the key moment, bowling Nat Sciver-Brunt for a first-ball duck.

Sharma and fellow spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad then tore through England’s out-of-sorts middle order, who looked low on confidence on a tricky pitch having been bowled out for just 136 the preceding day.

Captain Heather Knight’s 21 was England’s highest individual score while number eight Charlie Dean finished unbeaten on 20.

The conditions were favourable for bowling but England were outplayed across the three days in all departments, with all of Knight’s side playing their first Test match in India.