Summing up
Well it’s all ended in something of a damp squib but let it not dim the sparkle provided by Nat Sciver and Heather Knight earlier, each hitting magnificent centuries against a bedraggled Pakistan to give England their highest-ever World Cup score, and a much-needed victory after their opening-day defeat by India. It would have been handy to see them get through a few more overs in the field, though Katherine Brunt and Alex Hartley in particular bowled very well, while the Pakistan opener Ayesha Zafar might have built a hefty innings in a losing cause anchoring her side’s innings. She’ll have to make do with an ODI career-best 56 not out instead. Her side have been outclassed here overall, however, and England go into their next match, against Sri Lanka at Taunton on Sunday, in better spirits. Such is the convoluted South-American-World-Cup-football-qualifiers nature of the format that Pakistan are by no means out of the tournament yet after two defeats, but they’ve got some serious improving to do, starting with the small matter of a meeting with India at Derby on Sunday.
Anyway, that’s us done for today. Stay on the site for our match report and all today’s other cricketing action. Thanks for following. Bye.
Match abandoned, England win by 107 runs )D/L)!
It’s all over, the rain ain’t stopping, and England win on Duckworth-Lewis.
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Not everyone’s gone home, stoicism from the youthful crowd that warms the heart and bodes well:
✒️ Autograph time for @englandcricket while the rain falls in Leicester!#ENGvPAK #WWC17 pic.twitter.com/l5GBCuEp9H
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) June 27, 2017
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The heavy covers are still on the square, the players gaze wistfully out of the pavilion, and spectators are all either under cover somewhere or on their way home. There’s no word on calling it all off though, so don’t go away just yet. If no more play is possible, England will have their thumping win anyway.
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The rain is still teeming down, the floodlights are glowing in the gloom, and some of the previously chirpy crowd appear to be trudging off home. At the very least we’re going to lose some overs here. More on this as we get it.
Living vicariously through others’ rain-enforced breaks:
New twist on Jarrod's food at cricket matches photo collection pic.twitter.com/x8zWTgoGuu
— Vithushan (@Vitu_E) June 27, 2017
Umbrellas are up and covers are on, so why not pass the time by reading this week’s Spin, in which Simon Burnton waxes rightfully lyrical about great September one-day county finals (without even mentioning my favourite one)?
And you can read back over Vish’s pre-tournament preview, to see how his forecasts shape up so far:
Rain stops play, Pakistan 109-3
29.2 overs: Pakistan 107-3 (Ayesha 56, Nain 23), target 378. Hartley can send down only two dot balls before the umpires decide the rain is too severe to stay on, so off they come. Pakistan are a mere 111 short of the Duckworth/Lewis par of 218 at this stage, but we’ve got leeway of around 45 minutes before they start taking overs off.
29th over: Pakistan 107-3 (Ayesha 56, Nain 23), target 378. Sciver hasn’t found her radar yet, and an awry full toss is swept down to fine leg by Nain, but she only gets one where she might have got four with better timing and placement. Some brisk running between the wickets brings a couple more singles, as drops of rain start to fall.
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28th over: Pakistan 104-3 (Ayesha 56, Nain 21), target 378. Someone manages to take on Hartley at last, and that someone is of course Ayesha, who steps forward and belts it straight over the bowler’s head for four to bring up her highest ODI score. Another attempted but foiled quick single prefaces an optimistic and futile runout shout from Taylor.
Up in the Sky commentary box, we have some scoreboard appreciation, specifically for Grace Road’s traditional number, which indeed is a thing of glory.
27th over: Pakistan 100-3 (Ayesha 52, Nain 21), target 378. England’s heroine of the day, Nat Sciver, gets her first bowl, and proves her mortality by beginning with a dibbling-dobbling wide down the legside. If you had a penny for every time she’s been compared to Ben Stokes in the last few days you’d have enough cash for, well, at least a packet of crisps. But he has his off-moments too, and so does Sciver, who’s also carved for four by Nain following a loose wide delivery outside off-stump. A hurried single finishes off the over and takes Pakistan, at last, to three figures.
26th over: Pakistan 93-3 (Ayesha 51, Nain 15), target 378. Half-chance! Hartley tosses one up that deceives Nain, who sends a miscued lofted drive back to the bowler’s left but she can’t grab hold of it. Hartley’s looping, slinging style is still asking plenty of questions. Four singles from the over.
25th over: Pakistan 89-3 (Ayesha 50, Nain 13), target 378. Hazell bowls her seventh over on the bounce as England continue to give their spinners some practice, conceding singles to Ayesha and Nain before theformer brings up her 50 with another well stroked single. She’s played very well in the circumstances, a calm classy presence.
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24th over: Pakistan 86-3 (Ayesha 48, Nain 12), target 378. Hartley really has been pivotal in wresting what momentum Pakistan did have away from them. She’s conceded only five runs from her four overs, the only one from this coming from Ayesha’s sweep in front of square on the legside.
23rd over: Pakistan 85-3 (Ayesha 47, Nain 12), target 378. Ayesha and Nain add a single each befoe Hazell rips a beauty past Nain’s outside edge, but it took Taylor by surprise too as she fumbles and concedes a bye. Pakistan just playing for their net run rates and averages here now.
22nd over: Pakistan 82-3 (Ayesha 45, Nain 11), target 378. A bit of poor cricket all round, as Ayesha’s dilatoriness running from the non-striker’s end, after Nain’s push down the ground, goes unpunished as the throw to the keeper is far too wayward to secure the run-out that was surely on. Hartley’s bowling well though, darting the odd one right into the batters’ pads. Only two from a fine over. Even Ayesha’s slowed up again.
21st over: Pakistan 80-3 (Ayesha 44, Nain 10), target 378. Ayesha carves a single off Hazell before Nain adds two more with a smart angled glance down to wide third man. A quick single gives England a bit of fielding practice – they continue to look so much sharper in that regard than their opponents – which is followed by a wide, awarded despite it deflecting off the pad. Five from the over.
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20th over: Pakistan 75-3 (Ayesha 43, Nain 7), target 378. That was a bit of a tease for the umpires to call drinks one over before the 20 required to ensure a result. Nonetheless, the 20th is bowled! Hartley delivers it – six parsimonious dot balls that Nairn can’t or won’t do anything with, a maiden.
19th over: Pakistan 75-3 (Ayesha 43, Nain 7), target 378. Nain drives Hazell for a single, and Ayesha, feeling ever more responsibility bearing down on her, plays defensively for a couple of balls before driving down the ground for one. Then, a rare bit of sloppy confused fielding from England as Sciver’s smart stop and throw at the stumps is not backed up properly and it skids away for four overthrows. And that’s drinks.
18th over: Pakistan 68-3 (Ayesha 42, Nain 1), target 378. The left-arm spinner lex Hartley gets her first bowl of the match, and strikes second ball, her first World Cpu wicket, trapping Asmavia leg before as she totally misses her sweep, and asks good questions of the new woman in, Nain Abidi, who ekes out a single off the final ball of the over.
Wicket! Asmavia lbw b Hartley 5, Pakistan 67-3
Alex Hartley strikes with her second ball, skidding a low one into Asmavia’s pads.
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17th over: Pakistan 66-2 (Ayesha 41, Asmavia 5), target 378. Asmavia, who’s not so much been playing second fiddle as playing a Bez role in this partnership so far, nudges a single off Hazell – she now has five off 19 balls, before Ayesha sweeps to deep square leg for one. Pakistan need 312 more, England need three overs more, to ensure we have a result.
16th over: Pakistan 64-2 (Ayesha 40, Asmavia 4), target 378. Gunn begins with a wide but follows it up with two dots before Ayesha really gets hold of a fuller, faster delivery and scoops it cleanly and high to the deep midwicket boundary for a one-bounce four. While Ayesha’s out there, you sense Pakistan at least have a chance of making this match go the distance.
15th over: Pakistan 59-2 (Ayesha 36, Asmavia 4), target 378. Hazell has some good variations, which keep the batsmen guessing and on their toes, though one is a bit too varied, and drifts down legside to be called wide. Ayesha drives to long-on for a single, but this is good, tight application of pressure, with the field settings to match. Something for Pakistan to look and learn from there.
14th over: Pakistan 56-2 (Ayesha 35, Asmavia 3), target 378. Gunn continues and concedes three scurried singles (two of which are leg-byes) in what is her most accurate over so far.
England are well set for victory, but this being England the weather is always with us:
Getting very gloomy in Derby, not far from Leicester. Get the spinners on. Rush through 9 overs in 25 minutes. #engvpak
— daniel norcross (@norcrosscricket) June 27, 2017
13th over: Pakistan 53-2 (Ayesha 34, Asmavia 3), target 378. Spin for the first time, Dani Hazell replacing Brunt and immediately making things happen, inducing a low edge from Asmavia that Taylor can’t quite gather, and they take a single instead. Technically a drop, that, but a fine piece of bowling. Ayesha hits back by adding her sixth boundary, belting Hazell over long-on for four to bring up Pakistan’s 50.
12th over: Pakistan 48-2 (Ayesha 30, Asmavia 2), target 378. First bowling change: Jenny Gunn replaces Shrubsole, and struggles. She concedes a four off her first ball, a well-judged clip on the legside by Ayesha, who’s beginning to play really well. Two more singles ensue before Ayesha swipes cleanly over the infield for four more past deep midwicket. Gunn ends the over with a better ball, speared into Ayesha’s pads and prompting half an lbw appeal, but it’s too high.
11th over: Pakistan 38-2 (Ayesha 21, Asmavia 1), target 378. A lovely assertive square cut for four from Asmavia, the best shot of the innings so far, is followed by another boundary, a deflection through the vacant slip area. But Brunt’s slower ball is quite the weapon, and Ayesha drives all around another such delivery outside off stump, missing completely. A single puts Asmavia on strike, who also plays and misses at another teasing delivery in the corridor.
10th over: Pakistan 29-2 (Ayesha 12, Asmavia 1), target 378. Both sides have given their new-ball quicks a good long go at the start of the innings, and Shrubsole too is given a fifth over on the bounce. Ayesha and Asmavia add a single each before Ayesha misjudges a slower ball, lofting it just beyond the bowler where it dobs down on the ground at the non-striker’s end without a run. Three singles from the over brings us to the end of the first powerplay – Pakistan are going to have to do something ridiculously out of keeping to get close to winning this.
9th over: Pakistan 26-2 (Ayesha 10, Asmavia 0), target 378. A rare piece of waywardness from Brunt, who strays down the legside to add one to the extras total, and it’s followed by a wide one outside off that is cut nonchalantly to the boundary by Javeria. But Brunt comes back in terrific style, bamboozling Javeria with a slower ball that uproots her middle stump. Classy cricket from the Barnsley express. Pakistan respond by promoting Asmavia Iqbal, the pick of their bowlers earlier on, up the order at No4.
Wicket! Javeria b Brunt 11,Pakistan 26-2
A magnificent slower ball from Katherine Brunt deceives Javeria and cuts her in half, sending middle stump out of the ground
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8th over: Pakistan 21-1 (Ayesha 10, Javeria 7), target 378. Keeper Taylor comes up to the stumps for Shrubsole as England look to keep up the pressure. It works in terms of keeping things tight – Javeria can’t clear the infield on the offside, and a well-run quick single off the last ball is all the over yields.
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7th over: Pakistan 20-1 (Ayesha 10, Javeria 6), target 378. Brunt bangs one in short to see what the pitch can give her. Not much, is the answer, in terms of pace, but it jags off the seam and a footwork-less Javeria hacks and misses. Brunt went down a bit awkwardly after that, possibly having caught her studs. Javeria turns a slower back-of-the-hand ball down to fine leg for one, the only one Pakistan can muster from this over. Brunt is 1-7 from four overs.
6th over: Pakistan 19-1 (Ayesha 10, Javeria 5), target 378. This innings has had more of the air of a Test match so far – probing seam bowling being met mostly by orthodox, often defensive, proper cricket shots. But they have more of a go in this over: Javeria cracks Shrubsole for decent square cut and square drives for two and one respectively, and then misses the chance to clobber a wide one by glancing-and-missing outside off stump before properly getting hold of a shorter ball from Shrubsole and pulling it over the infield for the first boundary of the innings.
5th over: Pakistan 12-1 (Ayesha 6, Javeria 2), target 378. Javeria, strong square on the offside, dabs another single towards backward point off Brunt, who again isn’t giving much away at all. Having a seasoned experienced pair of quicks to open the bowling already showing its advantages here. A smart square drive for two from Ayesha takes Pakistan into double figures. Still plenty of excited shouting from the youthful crowd in the sort of conditions (dark and cloudy) and environment more commonly associated with more mature gentlemen rustling copies of pristinely folded broadsheet newspapers
4th over: Pakistan 9-1 (Ayesha 4, Javeria 1), target 378. Ayesha dabs artfully past slip to third man for a single, but Shrubsole comes back with a good attempted inswinging yorker that Javeria just about digs out. The No3 is off the mark with a forceful cut for just a single but it’s another good, accurate over.
3rd over: Pakistan 7-1 (Ayesha 3, Javeria 0), target 378. Brunt makes the breakthrough, Nahida, Pakistan’s star batter in their opener against South Africa, dollying a simple catch to Sciver. The new woman in, Javeria, is forced onto the defensive by some good length bowling from the seamer, and five dots ensue. An excellent wicket-maiden. You could say Pakistan are behind the eight-ball in these early stages here.
Wicket! Nahida c b Brunt 3, Pakistan 7-1
Brunt strikes. An ill-advised pull across the line by Nahida goes straight to Sciver at midwicket at shoulder height. Simple catch.
2nd over: Pakistan 7-0 (Ayesha 3, Nahida 3), target 378. Anya Shrubsole opens up at the Pavilion End, conceding a leg-bye when she strays a little too full and wide the down legside. These are pleasing seam-bowling conditions (Pakistan’s opening seamers were the only ones that looked able to cause England problems earlier too), and Shrubsole’s mixing it up nicely, making the odd one come into the right-handers. Nahida Khan gets off the mark with a nudged two, followed by a single.
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1st over: Pakistan 3-0 (Ayesha 3, Nahida 0), target 378. Katherine Brunt takes the new ball. It still looks a bit blowy out there and there’s some movement in the air, and Ayesha Zafar gets Pakistan off the mark by clipping a fuller one through midwicket for two. She has an almighty let-off next ball, though, appearing to inside-edge onto the stumps without toppling the bails and getting a single down to fine leg instead. A decent start from Brunt.
While we’re waiting, there’s traditional pink-ball action to follow in the County Championship. And Will Macpherson is doing precisely that here:
Afternoon everyone. Tom here to take you through Pakistan’s chase, which, call me hasty if you must, I reckon might just be a forlorn one. England absolutely clobbered them in the field just there, racking up their second biggest ever ODI total, their highest World Cup one, and the second largest by anyone in the history of the competition. The highest chasing score in the tournament’s history is a mere 251, by New Zealand against England four years ago, and they still lost. So Pakistan will have to render the history books worthless to win this. For Sana Mir and her side, this innings may be more about steadying themselves after a pretty shambolic showing in the field, although – the odd bit of variable bounce aside – there isn’t an enormous amount of devilry in the pitch.
England for their part need a decent bowling performance after suffering at the hands of India on Saturday, though Pakistan don’t offer the same batting pedigree. We shall see.
Seriously, though. 290 is more than enough. Pakistan didn't get past 166 in three attempts last summer. Declare.
— daniel norcross (@norcrosscricket) June 27, 2017
PAKISTAN REQUIRE 378 FOR VICTORY
50th over: England 377-7 (Wyatt 42, Shrubsole 12) Shrubsole heaves to the leg side, right over square leg... who puts down an simple catch! I mean, it went high, but geez, piss poor. Piss poor for all of these 50 overs (remember, there was a drop off the first ball of the innings). Wyatt goes high to midwicket for four but two to deep point and a mistimed reverse for one means Wyatt’s maiden ODI fifty will have to wait. Two off the last ball leaves England on 377 – their highest World Cup score. Incredible stuff from Heather Knight and Nat Sciver. Maiden hundreds through some outstanding hitting. England well, well, well, well, well ahead, The only thing they need to worry about is the weather. Here’s Tom Davies to take over – thanks for your company!
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49th over: England 364-7 (Wyatt 39, Shrubsole 7) The hat-trick ball, to Anya Shrubsole, is worked around the corner for four, before some more shoddy fielding brings three.
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WICKET! Gunn c Khan b Iqbal 0 (England 357-7)
Golden quacker for Jenny Gunn, who tries to go over the top of cover first ball. Finds her instead.
WICKET! Wilson b Iqbal 33 (England 357-6)
48th over: England 356-5 (Wyatt 34, Wilson 33) 350 brought up thanks to some more shambolic fielding. Sana Mir tries to stem the flow with air drops. But Wilson cares not for platitudes. Pap goes the offie.
Pakistan unfortunate to be in wrong place at wrong time. Like Drederick Tatum wanting revenge on Homer Simpson for being sent to jail...
— Rich Price (@richprice16) June 27, 2017
47th over: England 342-5 (Wyatt 33, Wilson 20) Too good and too bad. The good – the very, very good – is Wyatt dropping to one knee and clobbering over midwicket for six. The bad – the very, very bad – is a spill at deep square leg which trickles over the rope for four.
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46th over: England 330-5 (Wyatt 26, Wilson 15) Sadia Yousuf has moved to the Pavilion End and is taking all pace off the ball. Somehow, Wilson can still heave steadily to pick up four at the over’s end.
45th over: England 322-5 (Wyatt 24, Wilson 9) Strong stuff from Wilson – steady base after a little jaunt allows her to ping a sweep through midwicket for four. Wyatt follows with a boundary of her own two balls later.
England scored a total of 3 sixes at the 2013 World Cup. They've hit 9 in 2017 already. 6 in this match alone. #WWC17
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) June 27, 2017
44th over: England 309-5 (Wyatt 17, Wilson 3) These two will run every last run available out there. A four through long-off from Wyatt and a few singles push that to nine from the over.
43rd over: England 300-5 (Wyatt 11, Wilson 1) Fran Wilson, sole heroine of the India chase, finally gets to the crease. Typical, you do your bit, bring up your maiden fifty, and get pushed down the order...
WICKET! Brunt b Sandu 9 (England 298-5)
Brunt boshes two fours but falls trying to heave a third. Shame. But a deserved wicket for Sandhu.
42nd over: England 290-4 (Wyatt 10, Brunt 1) An unconvincing edge and a proper, full-blooded drive give Wyatt a brace of fours. 400? Surely not...
41st over: England 280-4 (Wyatt 1, Brunt 0) Two set bats go, two pinch hitters replace them. Brunt has, for the longest time, yearned for a middle order go. Now she has her wish...
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WICKET! Sciver c sub b Mir 137 (England 279-3)
Weeps the coldest tears.
40th over: England 277-3 (Sciver 135, Wyatt 0) So yeah, that’s one way you recover from a wicket. Sciver strikes three big sixes: the first two downtown, the second bigger than the first. Then to midwicket. Presumably because she got a bit bored. Danni Wyatt, 50th ODI, up as a pinch hitter. Chance for her to get a sizeable score here...
WICKET! Knight c sub b Iqbal 106 (England 255-3)
Knight goes, caught at long off. Shame, really, but exactly what she needed to do. A partnership of 213 comes to an end...
@Vitu_E afternoon vish this had been brilliant from the girls great batting destroying pakistan
— Stuie Neale (@MrNeale92) June 27, 2017
HEATHER KNIGHT REACHES HER MAIDEN ODI HUNDRED!
39th over: England 255-2 (Knight 106, Sciver 114) First ball of the over, floated outside off, nudged through third man brings up a wonderful 105-ball century. It’s been brisk, even if Sciver’s was McLaren Mercedes level good.
CENTURY! #HeatherKnight follows Sciver's hundred with a maiden century of her own! Well done @Heatherknight55! 🎉#ENGvPAK #WWC17 pic.twitter.com/ZwbKKS2Tne
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) June 27, 2017
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38th over: England 244-2 (Knight 97, Sciver 112) Just as I write that, Sciver goes big down the ground for six over long on. Glorious. Finishes with a four, just because. 13 from the over. This could get ugly...
NAT SCIVER BRINGS UP HER MAIDEN ODI HUNDRED!
37th over: England 227-2 (Knight 95, Sciver 101) Sensational one, too. It has taken 76 balls, featuring some savage fours and, surprisingly, no sixes. Hell of a player, hell of a rise over the last two years.
Nat Sciver seems best-equipped physically & technically (lots of Bairstow in there) to package up the modern era & walk away with it #WWC17
— PhilWalkerAOC (@PhilWalkerAOC) June 27, 2017
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36th over: England 227-2 (Knight 93, Sciver 99) Knight gets the power play up and running with another slog sweep. Sana Mir has brought herself back on. Pace on or off the ball, none of it seems to matter right now.
35th over: England 219-2 (Knight 86, Sciver 98) Four singles from the over. These two are on their highest scores by the way. Maiden ODI tons in the offing. And the Power Play has been taken...
34th over: England 215-2 (Knight 84, Sciver 96) Again, good from Sandhu. Just three from the over. “I don’t want England to lose, but I do want Pakistan to win,” writes Romeo. You’re a good man, with the best intentions, but I think they’re a long way away from that. “I also want a pair of Smriti’s old glasses as World Cup memorabilia.” That we can help you with.
33rd over: England 212-2 (Sciver 94, Knight 83) Yep, Knight’s having fun. Switches her hands to reverse sweep four and then drops to one knee three balls later to ping over midwicket for six.
32nd over: England 198-2 (Knight 71, Sciver 92) No boundary but four picked up with ease. Nashra Sandu doesn’t really know what she’s bowling or how to set a field. Which is great to watch, in a way...
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31st over: England 194-2 (Sciver 90, Knight 69) Sciver moves to the cusp of ninety with another clobber to backward square leg. Bear in mind, England still have a Power Play to take. Absolute scenes in the offing.
30th over: England 187-2 (Knight 68, Sciver 85) Imtiaz in that expensive second spell mood. Her pervious over went for 11, this one goes for eight as Knight pings one big over long off. And drinks.
29th over: England 179-2 (Knight 62, Sciver 83) Knight, who has had to watch Sciver clobber it from the other end, uses her go to cut expansively when given far too much width. Pakistan need a miracle. Maybe even some rain.
28th over: England 173-2 (Knight 57, Sciver 82) Oh Nat Sciver. How do you do the things you do. Consecutive fours for Sciver takes her to 82 from 55 balls. Seriously, seriously good innings. Her elevation to number four has been a revelation. Newer ball to muller.
Knight & Sciver's partnership now the highest 3rd wicket stand for ENG at a World Cup, beating Connor & Taylor's 119 v SL in 2005. #WWC17
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) June 27, 2017
27th over: England 162-2 (Knight 55, Sciver 73) A big over already – seven runs off the opening five legal deliveries – is given a tidy polish with a belting shot through extra cover.
KNIGHT BRINGS UP HER HALF-CENTURY
26th over: England 151-2 (Knight 51, Sciver 67) 65-ball fifty for Knight. Partnership between these two is 108 from 100 balls. Big score in the offing. Nat Sciver eyeing up Brian Charles. 501. Easy.
25th over: England 144-2 (Knight 49, Sciver 62) Five runs from Mir, who spends most of her time wondering what on earth to do with the field. Maddening, this, even from a neutral’s point of view.
24th over: England 139-2 (Knight 46, Sciver 60) Nadia Khan, slow medium pace (maybe just slow?) opens with a comical over that sees fine leg change position four times in as many balls.
The Pakistan women's captain appears to have an aversion to placing fielders behind square on the legside.
— John Etheridge (@JohnSunCricket) June 27, 2017
Fifty for Nat Sciver – her 9th in ODIs
23rd over: England 134-2 (Knight 46, Sciver 56) It’s taken 35 balls, it’s featured eight fours – three from this over, an edge and two through extra cover to take her to the milestone. A fourth in a row, swept around the corner, completes the carnage.
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22nd over: England 117-2 (Knight 45, Sciver 39) Mir, right arm, moves to around the wicket to stop these two from throwing their hands through width. Both are comfortable enough playing the ball off the deck, so slow is the bounce. Three from the over.
21st over: England 114-2 (Knight 44, Sciver 37) Class from Sciver. Misses out on four through midwicket due to some good fielding on the fence, but makes amends with a classy drive through the covers. Knight then hits to the same region, though takes the aerial route as she advances down. England motoring...
There needs to be a 8000 word poem on why the Pakistan women hate putting fielders at fine leg.
— Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) June 27, 2017
20th over: England 102-2 (Knight 39, Sciver 30) A Yousuf dart strays onto the pads and Sciver biffs one around the corner for four.
19th over: England 96-2 (Knight 38, Sciver 25) Brisk over from Nashra Sandhu. England not getting bogged down, though, taking four from the over.
By the way, it’s this lad’s birthday...
Tests: 104
— BT Sport Cricket (@btsportcricket) June 27, 2017
Runs: 8,181
Average: 47.28
100s: 23@KP24 celebrates his birthday today!
Highest score: 227 🙌⬇️ pic.twitter.com/jnylYDYOQo
18th over: England 92-2 (Knight 36, Sciver 23) Another change in the bowling, another spinner from the shelf. Sadia Yousuf, left (round) arm, looking to cramp both right-handers for room. A two around the corner brings up the 50-partnership from 51 balls. Acknolwedged with a handshake and a “keep going”.
17th over: England 88-2 (Knight 35, Sciver 20) Good grief – Pakistan have no one in the ring on the leg side. There are three fielders back at long on, midwicket and square leg, with six (one sweeper) on the off side. Don’t know if this is too dumb or too smart.
Very much enjoy the shrill hubbub of a schoolchild-dominated crowd. Always reminiscent of Victory Shield games at the old Wembley.
— Dave Tickner (@tickerscricket) June 27, 2017
16th over: England 85-2 (Knight 34, Sciver 18) Cute from Knight, down on one knee to lap Mir around the corner from four. Naturally, Mir serves the next one wider and Knight throws her hands through a pristine backward cut. A third four comes – Sciver, sweeping hard – through a horrendous misfield on the square leg fence.
15th over: England 71-2 (Knight 25, Sciver 13) Double change. Nashra Sandhu, left-arm spinner, will be operating around the wicket to both right-handers. Most are outside off stump, but when she looks for a big dipping turner, Knight uses her feet and threads exquisitely through extra cover for four.
14th over: England 66-2 (Knight 20, Sciver 13) Change of bowling. Kainat has a blow and skipper Sana Mir, off-breaks with snow on them, brings herself on. Sciver won’t stand for any moon ball sheggery and it seems neither will Knight. The England skipper uses her feet to get to the pitch of the ball and helps it over mid on for four.
13th over: England 59-2 (Knight 14, Sciver 12) Four outside the ring, by the way, and a reminder that women’s ODI cricket still has a five-over batting Power Play, too. Long on is one of the four fielders outside the ring and both Sciver and Knight take that single on offer.
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12th over: England 57-2 (Knight 13, Sciver 11) Why not. Why not bosh down the ground for four. There’s a still swing, there’s a keeper up and a off side pack, so Sciver gets forward and clubs a straight drive all along the four. Exchange of the strike and Knight gets in on the act: Kainat is starting to look knackered and a leg side gift is pinged around the corner for four.
11th over: England 48-2 (Knight 9, Sciver 6) Iqbal to continue with the keeper standing up. Naturally, Knight’s watchful and we have ourselves the innings’ first maiden.
ENG 48/2 after 10
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) June 27, 2017
Quite a change compared with PAK tour of ENG last year.
ENG 10 over totals batting 1st were 67/0 & 49/0 in 2016.#WWC17
10th over: England 48-2 (Knight 9, Sciver 6) Beaumont’s charmed life comes to an end. She might have gone for a dimaond duck – shelled at slip off Iqbal. No mistake from Sidra Nawaz, who is a very tidy keeper. Nat Sciver comes to the crease, digs one out for two and then nails a full bunger down the ground for four. Power Play done and England are above Richard O’Hagan’s par.
WICKET! Beaumont c Sidra b Kainat 14 (England 42-2)
Tempter and Beaumont goes for it, again little footwork but some good bowling from Kainat. Must be hard to face – you don’t know what she’s going to serve up.
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9th over: England 42-1 (Beaumont 14, Knight 9) Class from Beaumont. Iqbal has been bowling very tight and very full, but Beaumont – punchy by nature – leans strong into a near-yorker-length delivery to pierce extra cover for four.
8th over: England 34-1 (Beaumont 9, Knight 6) Kainat starts another over with a wide. It’s her calling card. If you come back to your house to find it burgled, with the smudge of someone with outstretched arms on the bedroom window, you know you’ve been Kainated. Strong LBW shout though against Knight. Umpire’s not interested but it looked close.... Good morning to Richard O’Hagan who emails in: “I’m always a bit unsure what constitutes a good Powerplay score in the women’s game. Around about 45, maybe?” Yep, I’d have that down as “solid”. Essentially, the team with the highest Power Play tends to win above 85% of women’s limited overs matches. Can’t see Pakistan making more than that.
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7th over: England 30-1 (Beaumont 9, Knight 4) Beaumont trying to upset the bowler by walking down the pitch. She doesn’t manage to do much with that particular trick but it does mean the next ball from Iqbal is wider, shorter and cuttable. She accepts a gift at cover to pinch two. Better work saves four.
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6th over: England 28-1 (Beaumont 7, Knight 4) Belting shot to get off the mark from Heather Knight. Watches an outswinger from Kainat all the way, sets herself to drive, decides to go through point instead. Runs. Another wide but the ball after is exactly where Kainat needs to be: wider on the crease, starting on middle and off, leaving the right-hander groping.
5th over: England 23-1 (Beaumont 7, Knight 0) Another tight over. No runs off the bat – Beaumont struggling to pierce the field when she is driving – btu a wide gives the hosts a run. There have been five wides already...
4th over: England 22-0 (Beaumont 7, Knight 0) A full toss hopping into middle stump is pinged around the corner for four behind square leg. Kainat really struggling now, moving over to the off side and bowling three consecutive wides. Ridiculously, Pakistan don’t have a fielder at fine leg, which seems like a necessity if you’re aiming to bowl wicket-to-wicket. A second four comes through that region, this time from a healthy inside edge from Taylor’s bat. Her departure soon after brings Heather Knight to the crease.
WICKET! Taylor LBW Kainat 11 (England 22-1)
In what was going to rank as one of the worst overs at this World Cup, Kainat pulls it around with a full, swinging delivery that traps Sarah Taylor in front. No DRS available today, despite this being a televised game.
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3rd over: England 10-0 (Beaumont 2, Taylor 7) Another tight over. Just two from it as Beaumont is stopped from scoring a first boundary through a combination of cover’s dive and mid off’s mopping up.
2nd over: England 8-0 (Beaumont 1, Taylor 6) Kainat Imtiaz, whose last four overs have gone for 46, opens up from the other end. Heck of a lot of outswing, not much behind the ball, but Taylor is watchful as she digs one out towards mid on for a single.
1st over: England 7-0 (Beaumont 1, Taylor 5) FIRST BALL IS DROPPED AT FIRST SLIP! Iqbal’s gentle away swinger coerces Tammy Beaumont into a loose drive – feet in schakles, head on autopilot – and a tame edge is somehow put down at second slip. Sarah Taylor, though, is steadier, driving crisply through cover to get herself off the mark.
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Players. We have players! Tammy Beaumont and Sarah Taylor to open the batting. Asmavia Iqbal, bustler, to open the attack from the Pavilion End. 50 overs-a-side, a first win for either up for grabs. Let’s. Cricket.
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Discussion in the press box – the overflow area where the heathens reside – on what Women’s World Cup memorabilia you’d want to nick. Strong suggestions from pulp nonsenser Jarrod Kimber: Ellyse Perry’s pot of zinc or Mithali Raj’s wide-brimmed floppy blue hat (two sensational pub quiz names).
Happy enough with a set of stumps (and bails, of course).
PLAY WILL START AT 11AM – no loss of overs
Tarpaulin covers coming off and being folded. Main pitch covers prepped for removal. Tractors being revved.
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Pleut (delayed start)
🌧😞
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) June 27, 2017
Unfortunately the covers are on at Leicester and we'll have a delayed start in #ENGvPAK. #WWC17 pic.twitter.com/bGB5Do1CVt
Boo hiss - it’s absolutely ramming it down now. The covers came off for a moment, in fact, most of them were completely off, meaning the pitch had a few minutes when it was open to the elements. No idea what that’ll do to the pitch, mind. Do you?
Covers come off and then the heavens open. Extra, unexpected moisture on the pitch – Pakistan bowling first – will make it... #WWC17
— Vithushan (@Vitu_E) June 27, 2017
England will take heart from New Road last year, when they beat Pakistan in record-breaking fashion. Context: it was cold, Pakistan were undercooked and showed nowhere near the enthusiasm that they have reserved for the last two world tournaments. Come for accountancy firm Beaumont-Winfield, stay for Nat’s Scivers:
Pakistan win the toss and bowl first
Not the worst thing in the world. Plenty of assistance around for Sana Mir and her seamers up top – the lights have come on here – and there is rain expected at about 1pm. Heather Knight says she would have bowled, too. oth sides are unchanged. Lauren Winfield will see a specialist later today and it is hoped she will be able to feature in the next two matches.
England: T Beaumont, S Taylor, H Knight, N Sciver, F Wilson, D Wyatt, K Brunt, J Gunn, A Shrubsole, D Hazell, A Hartley
Pakistan: B Nahida, A Zafar, J Wadood, B Maroof, SNF Abidi, AI Khokar, K Imtiaz, S Mir, S Nawaz, N Sundhu, S Yousaf
PREAMBLE
Morning champs and champettes: overcast here at Grace Road, with a couple of hints in the air. The first of rain – maybe even some thunder – later in the day. The second, the feeling that England are keen to inflict a shellacking onto Pakistan, much as they did during their 3-0 ODI and T20i series wins last summer when today’s opponents were in town.
England spent a lot of yesterday working on placing moon balls through the off and leg side, along with trying to lump the odd one over the ropes. Pakistan ran South Africa close with those drops of Jupiter, instigating panic in the opposition middle order by packing the off side. Somehow, South Africa were coerced into some nonsense run out. Great to watch, mind.
So England will need to legislate against such Lemmings-like chaos. What they can take away from their defeat to India is the manner in which they approached their ultimately futile chase of 282. Fran Wilson’s composure, a solid rebuilding effort helmed by Heather Knight and some smart play from Katherine Brunt – all ultimately run out, by the by – are crumbs of comfort to be taken. Toss news soon.
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