Summary

  • ICC Women's World Cup, Colombo - SL win toss & bowl

  • England bowl out Sri Lanka for 164 to win by 89 runs

  • England 253-9 (50 overs): Sciver-Brunt 117 (117); Ranaweera 3-33

  • Sri Lanka 164 (45.4 overs): Harshitha 33 (37); Ecclestone 4-17

  • England top table by one point over Australia after third straight win

  • Sri Lanka are seventh on one point

Sciver-Brunt hits 117 to reach fifth world cup century 'in grand style'

Live Reporting

by Matthew Henry & Elizabeth Botcherby

  1. Get Involved

    #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)

    Positivity will only get you so far. The harsh reality is that England are not consistent enough, in my opinion. The big players have dug us out of holes too often. Plus, they won’t be around much longer. The gulf between national teams is getting thinner, as this tournament has already proven. I know we need to give the younger players time to reach their peak, but all the positivity will be for nothing if we can’t handle a powerplay without losing wickets. Time for cool heads now.

    Dan

  2. Eng 72-2

    Heather Knight takes on Chamari Athapaththu and just about gets the ball over mid-on and away for four.

    This partnership is up to 23 (33). Based on how the match has played out so far (24 between Beaumont and Jones, 25 between Beaumont and Knight), we're due a wicket.

  3. Rufus Bullough
    CricViz analyst

    Sri Lanka have caught just 68% of their chances in the last three years, the lowest of all competing teams in this World Cup.

  4. Eng 67-2

    Inoka Ranaweera concedes four singles from her second over but she should have had a wicket. Sri Lanka's fielding hasn't been particularly vintage today.

  5. Lisa Sthalekar
    Ex-Australia all-rounder on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    The ball wasn't that far away, slightly to her right. All she needed to do was take a step to her right, and she would have pouched it easily.

  6. dropped catch

    Dropped catch - Sciver-Brunt on 3

    Prabodhani drops stinging Sciver-Brunt strike at mid-wicket

    Oh no! Nat Sciver-Brunt has been put down on three!

    She played the ball straight to Udeshika Prabodhoni at mid-wicket but it bounces out of her hands.

    Huge let off for England.

  7. Eng 63-2

    A bit of a loosener from Chamari Athapaththu blots what had been another tidy over from the Sri Lanka skipper.

    A floaty delivery is smacked for four over mid-on by Heather Knight.

  8. Get Involved

    #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)

    The problem with England is too many dot balls. I can’t understand why they are not looking for singles. Heather Knight is the worst culprit.

    Mike

  9. Eng 57-2

    If I were Heather Knight, I'm not sure I'd be paddling the ball over the head of the wicketkeeper with my side two wickets down in the 12th over and in the early stages of a new partnership. Then again, I haven't scored a shade under 7,500 international runs.

    She pulls it off and England take five off the over.

  10. How's stat?!

    Rufus Bullough
    CricViz analyst

    Since 2022, England’s win percentage falls to just 48% when Beaumont is dismissed in the powerplay. When she survives the first 10, England’s win percentage climbs to 74%

  11. Lisa Sthalekar
    Ex-Australia all-rounder on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    I don't think Sri Lanka need to do anything silly here. Just keep bowling stump to stump and keep them in play, and ask England if they want to go across the line, maybe lbw, with the variable bounce.

  12. Eng 52-2

    Another tight over from Chamari Athapaththu. Two singles and four defensive shots.

  13. Lisa Sthalekar
    Ex-Australia all-rounder on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Sri Lanka would be extremely happy with the fact that they are able to dismiss both the openers. But they will also now know that they are going up against two of England's most prolific batters, and they will need to get rid of them early.

  14. Eng 50-2

    Hmmm. Prior to that wicket, England would have been pretty happy with their powerplay and Tammy Beaumont was looking solid enough for her 32.

    Sri Lanka's tails will be up after removing both openers and now have a crack at two unset batters. That said, the batters in question are Heather Knight and Nat Sciver-Brunt.

  15. Lisa Sthalekar
    Ex-Australia all-rounder on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Really important wicket and I like the captaincy as well, despite the ball being hit over the bowler and went for a boundary. I like that they kept the field in and led the batter to think they can go again, and clever bowling by Dasanayaka and having both the opening batters out, I think they will be very happy.

  16. wicket

    WICKET

    Beaumont c Samarawickrama b Dasanayaka 32 (Eng 49-2)

    'Comfortably pouched' - Samarawickrama takes catch at point to dismiss Beaumont for 32

    England lose both openers in the powerplay.

    Tammy Beaumont began the over with a lovely loft down the ground for four but two balls later, she's on her way.

    She came down to a flighted delivery, slices her shot, and Harshitha Samarawickrama takes a good two-handed catch in the covers, diving forward.

  17. Lisa Sthalekar
    Ex-Australia all-rounder on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    We have seen this Sri Lankan side, led by Athapaththu, score 170-odd and chase down a big score against the Australian side years ago. So, she's the kind of player where it doesn't matter what the score is; they will try to chase it down.

  18. Eng 45-1

    England take a relatively defensive approach to Chamari Athapaththu's opening six. One run conceded.

  19. Eng 44-1

    Heather Knight in actionGetty Images

    Better running from Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont to add four more runs to England's tally.

    Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu brings herself into the attack after initially tossing the ball to Dewmi Vihanga.

  20. Eng 40-1

    Linsey Smith will certainly want to buck that trend, Rufus. She's been a menace in the powerplay.

    Two singles off the seventh over. After conceding nine runs off her opening over, Udeshika Prabodhani has conceded 12 off her next three.