The historic first women’s Test at Lord’s ended 95 minutes into the ultimate day after England lost by 270 runs to India despite stubborn resistance by Sophie Ecclestone.
Set an improbable victory goal of 457, after an excellent century by Yastika Bhatia to turn out to be the primary female batter on the honours board at the house of cricket, Charlotte Edwards watched England collapse to 59 for five on Sunday night.
Low scores for retiring duo Tammy Beaumont and Heather Knight raised the potential for a dispiriting day three defeat at the top of a memorable summer, but Amy Jones joined forces with Mady Villiers (26) and the England wicket-keeper made it to the close on 52 not out.
When Jones was dismissed only 18 balls into the fourth and final day after England resumed on 130 for six, the top was nigh.
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PICTURES: Steven Paston/PA
Jubilant celebrations
But Ecclestone battled away, enjoyed some luck after two drops and made a maiden Test half-century before she was last batter out to Sneh Rana.
It sparked jubilant celebrations from India in front of nation great Sachin Tendulkar, who had provided a pep-talk for the team on Monday morning.
Rana’s 4 for 42 enabled India to dismiss England for 186 at 12.35pm on day 4.
After a summer to savour with a formidable run to the T20 World Cup final which led to heartbreak, Jones’ second fifty of the match ensured England didn’t finish a jam-packed period with defeat inside three days at Lord’s.
Crestfallen
England’s hopes of getting through to lunch appeared to rely squarely on the shoulders of Jones but from the 18th ball of the morning, she pulled Rana’s drag-down to Shafali Verma at midwicket.
A crestfallen Jones walked off for 54, but Ecclestone hit the following delivery for 4 with a gorgeous drive.
Ecclestone must have gone two overs later when she chased after a large ball from Kranti Gaud, who claimed a first-innings five-wicket haul to dismiss England for 170 in reply to India’s 285, but Rana spilled an easy probability.
Big cheers from the sparse crowd at Lord’s occurred when Tendulkar emerged on TV screens and he watched Bhatia let Ecclestone’s next edge off Gaud slip through her grasp to run away for 4.
Famous victory
The boundary ensured England moved beyond the second-biggest margin of defeat in a women’s Test of 309 runs, which Pakistan suffered in 1998 by the hands of Sri Lanka.
Issy Wong got off the mark with an inside edge off her twenty third ball, but India captain Harmanpreet Kaur turned to Deepti Sharma and she or he bowled Wong to go away England on 157 for eight.
A beautiful turning delivery by Sharma accounted for Lauren Bell soon after, but two unsuccessful reviews by the tourists ensured Ecclestone made it to a maiden Test fifty with a nudge for a single off the twenty second over of the day.
Ecclestone’s excellent innings ended on 50 off 66 balls when Rana breached her defence to send a delivery crashing into off-stump and earn India a famous victory at Lord’s.
READ MORE: Yastika Bhatia makes history for India as defeat looms for England at Lord’s
