Nat Sciver-Brunt shines as England recover to sweep aside Sri Lanka

A patient hundred from the captain, Nat Sciver-Brunt, saved England from embarrassment against Sri Lanka in Colombo, enabling them to recover from 168 for six and win by 89 runs.

Sciver-Brunt was dropped on three by Udeshika Prabodhani at midwicket and went on to score a run-a-ball 117, before finally being caught at long-on off the penultimate ball of the innings. Tammy Beaumont’s 32 was the next highest contribution.

Sciver-Brunt’s rescue effort enabled England to regain their spot at the top of the World Cup standings, and means she has now surpassed coach Charlotte Edwards’s record for most hundreds scored at 50-over World Cups: this was her fifth. It is also the first since her wife, Katherine Sciver-Brunt, gave birth to their son, Theo, in March, and featured the memorable sight of the England captain lofting a six over deep extra cover to bring up the milestone, then cradling her bat like a baby while looking up to Katherine and Theo in the stands in celebration.

“That one was for Theo,” Sciver-Brunt said. “They’ve come out to Sri Lanka to watch me, so I thought I’d give back to them for supporting me.

“It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster in terms of missing them, but I got a bit more sleep when they were at home. Katherine had to take the flight on alone with Theo, which was a lot for her to commit to, so I’m glad I made it worth her while.”

Sri Lanka started positively with the bat, reaching 95 for one after 20 overs, but an extraordinary 10-over spell from Sophie Ecclestone, which included three maidens, put a wrecking ball through their chase. Hasini Perera and Harshitha Samarawickrama were caught trying to hit out, while Kavisha Dilhari was bowled by Ecclestone attempting a slog sweep.

The key breakthrough came in the 29th over, when the captain, Chamari Athapaththu – returning after being stretchered off in the sixth over with cramp – was deceived by Ecclestone’s flight and bowled through the gate.

“Sri Lanka had built a partnership. I wanted [Ecclestone] to come on and steady the ship, not necessarily take wickets, but she did that as a bonus,” Sciver-Brunt said. “Her clarity in what she wants to do is brilliant. She makes it look very simple.”

Sciver-Brunt followed up her match-defining innings with a couple of scalps of her own, while Charlie Dean tossed up a beauty to Vishmi Gunaratne and held on to an excellent diving catch at midwicket to dismiss Dewmi Vihanga, as Sri Lanka collapsed to 164 all out in 45.4 overs.

On the eve of this match England had talked about having to “earn runs” in the subcontinent, but – Sciver-Brunt aside – their batters failed to display the patience required in tropical Sri Lankan conditions. First, Beaumont stitched up Amy Jones by haring off for a nonexistent single after hitting the ball straight to Dilhari at cover, leaving Jones short of her ground running to the striker’s end. Then the left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera took three for 33, including removing Emma Lamb and Alice Capsey in the space of five balls in the 35th over.

The 39-year-old Ranaweera, now into her 13th year of international cricket, has already proved that age really is just a number at this tournament, finishing with four wickets against India – including three in the same over. She was just as dangerous against England’s right-handers, getting plenty of turn and dip to bowl Lamb behind her legs, and having Capsey stumped after sliding her back foot just out of the crease.

As so often, the England captain played a lone hand, in an innings which was without extravagance until its final stages. She ground out runs – 52 of her 117 came in singles – but came alive in the last four overs of the innings, striking six boundaries and enabling England to add 44 more to their total. Had Sri Lanka held on to that early chance against her, the match might have unfolded very differently.

Click here to read article