England were given their first reality check under head coach Charlotte Edwards after Smriti Mandhana’s maiden T20 international century lifted India to a commanding 97-run win at Trent Bridge.
Having clean swept the West Indies in T20s and ODIs to get Edwards’ tenure off to a thrilling start, England put in a rusty fielding display as India piled up 210 for five, powered by Mandhana’s 112.
Mandhana clubbed three sixes – two of them off Sophie Ecclestone, who leaked 43 runs in three overs on her England return – and 15 fours in a majestic 62-ball innings, having been given a reprieve on 13.
England’s spin problems then resurfaced as they capitulated to 113 all out to suffer their heaviest defeat by runs in T20s, with only captain Nat Sciver-Brunt going past 15 as she made 66 off 42 balls.
England lost 40 wickets to spin during last winter’s 16-0 Ashes whitewash defeat and after Sophia Dunkley nicked off to seamer Amanjot Kaur in the first over, India’s slow bowlers took centre stage.
Danni Wyatt-Hodge was dismissed by finger spin for a third time to register her third successive duck when an attempted clip off her pads to Deepti Sharma took a thick leading edge to short third.
Deepti, at the heart of the controversial Mankad incident in India’s last tour to England three years ago, then took out the recalled Tammy Beaumont’s leg stump after she missed a swipe across the line.
Amy Jones was stumped despite wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh initially fumbling the ball and the writing was on the wall when Alice Capsey sliced to short third to give debutant Shree Charani her first wicket.
Slow left-armer Charani finished with four for 12 from 3.5 overs, which included the key scalp over Sciver-Brunt, the penultimate wicket to fall when she feathered a cut through to Ghosh.
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England’s hopes of recording their highest T20 chase had long since receded despite the occasional counterpunch from their skipper, having been up against it after conceding their second highest total.
Ecclestone’s first involvement under Edwards’ leadership – having missed the Windies series with a knee injury – saw her fumble at mid-off from the first ball, setting the tone for a poor fielding display.
Mandhana might have departed in the second over when she miscued a pull off Em Arlott but a backtracking Capsey lost track of the ball, which landed next to her left shoulder at midwicket.
Mandhana, standing in as captain for the injured Harmanpreet Kaur, did not look back. Strong on the drive and cut, she slog swept Ecclestone’s first ball back for six and did likewise from the fourth delivery as the left-arm spinner conceded an eye-watering 19 from her first over.
She shared stands of 77 with Shafali Verma and 94 with Harleen Deol, who made 43 off 23 balls having been dropped on 26 after Wyatt-Hodge spilled a simple chance in the deep.
Mandhana moved to three figures off 51 deliveries with back-to-back fours off Lauren Bell, who claimed three quick wickets by taking pace off the ball to finish with figures of 4-0-27-3.
Ecclestone, who spent time out of county cricket this month to manage a sore quad and “prioritise her wellbeing”, had some reward in the final over when Mandhana miscued to Sciver-Brunt in the ring but the damage was done at the start of this five-match series, which resumes in Bristol on Tuesday.
PA
