One-off women's Test: Deepti's fighting fifty takes India to 171-3 at lunch on day 4


PTI | Bristol | Updated: 19-06-2021 18:12 IST | Created: 19-06-2021 18:08 IST
One-off women's Test: Deepti's fighting fifty takes India to 171-3 at lunch on day 4
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A dogged half-century by Deepti Sharma kept alive India's hopes of forcing a draw in the one-off Test against England here on Saturday.

Sharma, who had scored a fighting unbeaten 29 in the first innings, produced a resolute 168-ball 54 before being dismissed at the stroke of lunch.

The spin all-rounder shared 72 runs with Punam Raut (39 off 83 balls) as Indian women reached 171 for three in their second innings at lunch on the fourth and final day here.

Joining hands after losing the talented Shafali Verma (63) early in the day, Sharma and Raut showed great resilience as India erased the deficit and took a lead of six runs with seven wickets in hand.

A sudden lapse of concentration saw Sharma go for a reckless slog off Sophie Ecclestone in the 58th over only to drag the ball onto her leg-stump in what was the last ball before lunch.

Resuming the innings at 83 for one, India lost opener Shafali Verma early when she was caught by Katherine Brunt off Ecclestone in the 30th over.

The India prodigy could add just eight more runs, which included a six off Ecclestone, to her overnight score of 55 as India slipped to 99 for 2.

Smacked for a straight six in the first ball of the over, Ecclestone came back to dismiss Verma in the last delivery with Brunt taking a spectacular catch at long-on.

With Ecclestone and Brunt bowling in tandem, Sharma and Raut got into the recovery act.

Sharma played some good looking shots, which included a drive off Anya Shrubsole and a sweep shot.

Raut too had a few hits to the fence -- one off Ecclestone across the cover region and the other being a back-foot punch through covers. Raut also survived two LBW appeals with DRS coming to her rescue on both occasions.

Sharma reached her fifty, taking a single off Natalie Sciver behind square in the 55th over.

India were 83 for 1 in their second innings after the final session was washed out on Friday.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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