Yastika Bhatia's Historic Century Puts India on Verge of Lord's Test Win

One-off Test: Yastika, bowlers put India on doorstep of historic victory over England (Ld)

London, July 12

Chasing a mammoth target of 457 runs following India's second-innings declaration at 341/7, Sayali Satghare, Kranti Gaud and Sneh Rana picked two wickets each as the hosts collapsed under intense pressure and are still needing 327 runs with just four wickets remaining as India closes in on a clinical win.

In the morning, Yastika was the star as she hit her first international century which also made her the first woman to hit a Test century at Lord's. Apart from Yastika hitting 14 boundaries in a knock which sealed her place at the Honours Board, Smriti Mandhana (70) and Richa Ghosh (50 not out) supported her well.

Resuming from 154/1, Smriti added just one run to her overnight score, before falling short of a century for the second straight time - a leg-side strangle off Lauren Bell was completed by Amy Jones leaping to her right and completing a superb grab just above the ground.

Lauren struck again in her next over by castling Jemimah with a beautiful inswinger that hit the stumps through the gate. Skipper Harmanpreet looked fluent during her 16-run cameo, which included two boundaries, before she was trapped lbw by left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone following a successful review by the hosts.

Despite the quick wickets, Yastika stood firm by bringing up her second Test fifty off 86 balls with a well-timed boundary off Bell and shifted gears seamlessly. She survived a close call when an inside edge off Lauren kissed the stumps without dislodging the bails, and was later dropped on 86 by bowler Mady Villiers.

Taking full advantage of the reprieves, Yastika smashed consecutive boundaries off Lauren Filer and lofted Sophie safely for four to march into the 90s. She pushed a flatter delivery from Mady Villiers for a single off the final ball of the session to bring up India's 250, as England face the prospect of an improbable chase on a pitch with some wear and tear.

Resuming the post-lunch session from 250/4, India batted with clear intent to pile on the runs quickly. Yastika, who started the session on 91, showed no signs of nervous nineties, smashing consecutive boundaries off Issy Wong before anchoring a single to cover to bring up her historic three-figure mark off 145 deliveries and seal her place on the hallowed Honours Board at Lord's, after Kranti did so by taking a five-for on day two.

Yastika, who got into the line-up due to Pratika Rawal's laceration injury on the right knee, did have a slice of luck early in the morning when the very first delivery of the day from Lauren Bell clipped her off-stump, but failed to dislodge the bails. Capitalising on the reprieve, Yastika played a dynamic yet structured innings, targeting the straight boundary and cover region heavily for her runs.

Her stellar knock ended when she was caught by Mady Villiers at point off Sophie Ecclestone. India's middle order kept the momentum alive, despite losing Deepti Sharma (10) to an lbw decision and Sneh (1) in quick succession. Sophie was the pick of the England bowlers by picking her fourth five-wicket haul in Test cricket to finish with figures of 5-118.

Richa then took the English attack to the cleaners, unleashing a flurry of boundaries to reach her half-century off just 52 balls, studded with eight boundaries and became the third Indian batter and fifth in all from the visitors' line-up to get past fifty in the second innings.

From the other end, Sayali provided late fireworks by smashing three boundaries off Lauren Filer in the 86th over. As soon as Richa completed her speedy fifty with a single off Sophie, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur called her in, bringing an end to an innings that saw India accumulate a massive match-aggregate of 626 runs. It also helped India that Lauren Bell was forced off the field due to abdominal soreness.

In the longish final session, India's bowling unit operated with precision right from the start. Kranti, who took a historic five-for in the first innings, knocked off Tammy Beaumont's off-stump and dismissed her for a duck in her final international innings. A guard of honour was then given to the departing Tammy, who got a warm reception from the crowd.

Sayali then got one to jag back sharply and trapped Maia Bouchier lbw for just two. Sneh, who found good turn off the pitch, beat Nat Sciver-Brunt on the sweep to rattle her stumps for 11, while Kranti had Heather Knight inside-edging to short-leg. The Indian team was again quick in giving the retiring Heather a guard of honour, as the crowd applauded warmly.

Sayali again provided a crucial breakthrough by cleaning up Alice Capsey (21) with a sharp inswinger that rattled the stumps. Amidst the ruins, wicketkeeper-batter Amy Jones stood tall for England, fighting a lonely battle to remain unbeaten on 52 off 72 balls. Jones had a slice of luck on 34 when a sharp off-break from Rana caught her pad, but an Indian review was overturned by ball-tracking showing it going over.

She and Mady Villiers (26) had a defiant 67-run stand and kept the Indian bowlers frustrated before a sharp, reflexes-testing catch by Richa at silly point took out the latter on Sneh's bowling. Amy and Sophie Ecclestone (one not out) hanged around until stumps arrived, but India remain firmly in command to achieve a historic victory.

Brief Scores: India 285 and 341/7 dec in 86.3 overs (Yastika Bhatia 113, Smriti Mandhana 70; Sophie Ecclestone 5-118, Lauren Bell 2-27) lead England 170 and 130/6 in 40 overs (Amy Jones 52 not out, Mady Villiers 26; Sayali Satghare 2-19, Sneh Rana 2-33) by 327 runs.

— IANS