Lord's Test: Yastika Bhatia hits historic ton; India four wickets away from victory vs England
Article excerpt
Yastika Bhatia scored a historic maiden Test century at Lord's. She made 113 runs as India declared their second innings. India set England a challenging target of 457 runs to chase. England finished day three at 130 for six wickets. Kranti Gaud took crucial early wickets to put India in control.
Yastika Bhatia on Sunday became the first woman to score a Test century at the Home of Cricket as India closed in on a famous victory over England in the historic first-ever Women’s Test at Lord’s.
While vice-captain Smriti Mandhana was unfortunate to be caught down the leg side off Lauren Bell for 70 (130b, 9x4, 1x6), the less-fancied left-hander Yastika produced a sublime maiden Test hundred, scoring 113 off 158 balls with 14 fours, as India declared at 341 for seven shortly before tea.
The visitors set England a daunting target of 457.
England, who had been bowled out for 170 in their first innings, ended Day Three reeling at 130 for six, still needing 327 runs with only four wickets in hand.
India’s seamers once again led the charge. Kranti Gaud (2-40), fresh from her first-innings five for 37 that made her the first woman to claim a Test five-wicket haul at Lord’s, struck twice early. She bowled Tammy Beaumont for a firstball duck in the opener’s farewell Test before removing former captain Heather Knight (13), who was caught behind by Richa Ghosh after being given a guard of honour by the Indian players following her retirement announcement on Saturday.
Gaud has figures of seven for 77 in the match. Sayali Satghare (2-19) provided excellent support, trapping Maia Bouchier (2) lbw before claiming another wicket.
Earlier, Yastika produced an innings to remember.
Resuming on her overnight 39, the 25-year-old enjoyed an early reprieve when a Lauren Bell delivery clipped her leg stump without dislodging the bails. She responded immediately by driving Bell straight down the ground for four and soon completed her second Test fifty. Batting with elegance and assurance, the Baroda wicketkeeper unfurled crisp cover drives, authoritative pulls and deft late cuts while using her feet confidently against the spinners.
On 91, she struck back-to-back boundaries off Issy Wong before nudging a single to deep extra cover to bring up a landmark maiden Test century. 132358985
Brief scores: India 285 & 341/ 7 decl (Y Bhatia 113, S Mandhana 70, R Ghosh 50*, S Ecclestone 5/118) vs England: 170 & 130/6 (A Jones 52, S Satghare 2/19, K Gaud 2/40)