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.
Another “Real Housewives of Potomac” star is facing legal trouble: Wendy Osefo and her husband, Eddie Osefo, have been arrested for allegedly fraudulently reporting a burglary and theft last year.
A grand jury in Carroll County, Md., indicted the spouses Thursday on “multiple counts related to fraud,” the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday in a statement. The reality TV stars, both 41, were booked at Carroll County Central Booking. They were released Friday after posting bond, the statement said.
A representative for the Osefos said Friday that they are “back home safely with their family and in good spirits.”
“They are grateful for the outpouring of concern and support from friends, fans, and colleagues,” the representative continued. “The Osefos, alongside their legal team, look forward to their day in court. At this time, they respectfully ask for privacy as they focus on their family and the legal process ahead.”
Wendy Osefos faces 16 charges, including seven felony charges for alleged false/misleading information fraud involving more than $300, eight misdemeanor conspiracy counts and a misdemeanor for an alleged false statement to an officer. Her husband faces the same charges and is also on the hook for two additional felony counts. They are due back in court in November.
The fraud charges stem from an April 2024 burglary reported at the Osefos’ home in Finksburg, Md., more than 27 miles northwest of Baltimore. The Sheriff’s Office said law enforcement responded to a report of burglary and theft and met with the spouses, who claimed their home “had been entered and numerous items had been stolen” while they were on vacation, the statement said.
“They reported approximately 80 items of jewelry, luxury goods, clothing, and shoes were stolen,” the statement said, “worth a total of more than $200,000.”
Police said Friday that detectives investigating the burglary found that the Osefos had returned more than $20,000 of the “stolen” items to their points of purchase. Detectives also saw images of Wendy Osefo taken after the alleged burglary wearing a ring she said was among items that were stolen.
Court documents show that the Osesfos filed a claim with an insurance company alleging a loss of $450,000 worth of personal property, according to TMZ.
“It became clear that the Osefos had fabricated the burglary and filed a false report [in an] attempt to fraud their insurance company,” Carroll County Sheriff James T. DeWees said during a press briefing Friday.
Wendy Osefo joined “Real Housewives of Potomac” for its fifth season in late 2020 and has been part of the cast since. She is a political commentator, author and lifestyle brand entrepreneur. Eddie Osefo is an attorney and self-proclaimed “serial entrepreneur” whose businesses include a business agency and a cannabis edibles line.
The couple was arrested a year and a half after another “RHOP” personality publicly faced legal woes. Karen Huger, known among fans as the “grand dame,” was arrested in March 2024 for driving under the influence after she crossed a median and hit street signs, crashing her Maserati. She was convicted in December of driving under the influence and negligent driving, among other charges.
She was released from prison in September after serving six months of a yearlong prison sentence.
