SciverBrunt

England remain unbeaten in the Women’s World Cup after Nat Sciver-Brunt’s sensational century and a remarkable spell of 4-17 from Sophie Ecclestone set up a crushing 89-run win over Sri Lanka in Colombo.

Having put England in to bat, Sri Lanka were left to rue dropping Sciver-Brunt on three, as she punished them with a run-a-ball 117 in England’s competitive 253-9.

The game was delicately poised with England 179-6 after 40 overs, but the captain timed her acceleration to perfection with 49 runs coming from the last five.

In reply, Sri Lanka’s captain and key batter Chamari Athapaththu retired hurt early in their innings, but fellow opener Hasini Perera and Harshitha Samarawickrama led a promising recovery to 95-1.

But the co-hosts’ lack of batting depth cost them, despite Athapaththu’s return to the crease before she fell for 15, and they finished 164 all out in the 46th over, Ecclestone’s often-unplayable spell of turn and bounce doing the damage.

England’s third win in a row puts them top of the eight-team table, one point above defending champions Australia.

Earlier, Sciver-Brunt played a lone hand as the rest of England’s top order made promising starts but were unable to capitalise, with opener Tammy Beaumont’s 32 the next-highest contribution.

Amy Jones was run out for 11 and Beaumont was caught in the covers, before Sciver-Brunt and former captain Heather Knight consolidated with a patient stand of 60.

Knight was caught sweeping for 29 and England suffered another middle-order wobble to spin, including the loss of Emma Lamb and Alice Capsey to Inoka Ranaweera in the 35th over.

The discipline of Dean stabilised England again as she added 38 for the seventh wicket with Sciver-Brunt, which allowed the skipper to kick on at the death and ensure they had set a winning score.

England will look to maintain their winning run against Pakistan, also in Colombo, on Wednesday.

Sciver-Brunt understandably did not comment on whether there would be any changes in the immediate aftermath of the Bristol defeat, saying she had “full confidence” in all the players.

She also highlighted England’s significant improvement in the powerplay, where they restricted India to 35-3, but India’s counter-attack appeared to catch the bowlers off guard and they deviated from their plans.

In the powerplay 33% of their deliveries were on a good line and length at a run-rate of 4.2, but that dipped to 15% in the middle overs as India added 103-1 and 11% in the final four overs as Amanjot Kaur and Richa Ghosh took the game away from England.

Lauren Bell was one of few England players to come away from the Ashes with credit and has continued that form this summer, taking 2-17 at Bristol as she now leads the attack with much-improved maturity and consistency.

She executed her slower-ball plan effectively, setting the field accordingly and forcing India’s batters to adjust to her.

But India have been smart, and England have not responded quickly enough. Linsey Smith, who starred against West Indies with her left-arm spin, has been clearly targeted with 0-41 from three overs at Trent Bridge and 0-37 off three at Bristol.

It is unfamiliar territory for England, who are so dominant at home – prior to the Windies series, they had won 79.3% of their completed white-ball games at home since 2020.

They should not be written off after just two matches against a side that are turning into genuine World Cup contenders, particularly on home turf, and it is not yet crunch time for England or Edwards in terms of whether they can turn this around.

But the new coach is said by those around her to be ruthless, and unafraid to make tough decisions if best for the team.

This is England’s first challenge under her leadership, and how Edwards responds to it will reveal just how much has really changed in the set-up which was previously accused of cosiness and complacency.

England sealed a comprehensive one-day international series clean sweep over West Indies with a nine-wicket thrashing in a rain-affected encounter at Taunton.

Set a target of just 106 in a match reduced to 21 overs per side, England cruised to victory in 10.5 overs with captain Nat Sciver-Brunt finishing unbeaten on 57 from 33 balls.

Sophia Dunkley made 26 at the top of the order as England rejigged their batting line-up, while Alice Capsey finished unbeaten on 20 in another one-sided affair.

West Indies, who were again without star all-rounder Hayley Matthews because of a shoulder injury, had slipped to 4-3 inside the first four overs after England chose to bowl first under gloomy skies.

Stand-in captain Shemaine Campbelle and opener Qiana Joseph gradually rebuilt with a partnership of 39 before heavy rain led to a five-hour delay after 12.3 overs had been bowled.

Campbelle fell to Charlie Dean from the first ball after the resumption as the tourists slumped further to 58-6, but they smacked 31 from the last two overs to post 106-8.

Leg-spinner Sarah Glenn was the pick of England’s bowlers with 3-21, while seamer Em Arlott took 2-15.

England also won the preceding T20 series 3-0, and their summer continues with three T20s and three ODIs against India, starting at Trent Bridge on 28 June.