Capsey and Knight chase down India to seal England's series win at Taunton
For a while it looked like India had done enough. They had 180 on the board, Harmanpreet Kaur was unbeaten and in the mood, and England were 38 for 3 with the new ball still biting. Then Alice Capsey and Heather Knight decided the game was theirs.
The pair put on 137 from 76 balls at the Cooper Associates County Ground on Tuesday, and by the time Capsey holed out for 82 the chase was as good as done. England got home with nine balls to spare and six wickets standing, a 2-1 series win packed away just before the Women's T20 World Cup begins on 12 June.
India set a total they should have defended
Harmanpreet's 56 not out off 40 balls was the innings that held India together. Deepti Sharma and Yastika Bhatia chipped in with 32 apiece, and 180 for 5 felt like a winning score. On most evenings in England, it is one. Lauren Bell was the pick of the home bowlers with 2 for 36.
Capsey takes the game away
Capsey's 82 came off 43 balls, nine fours and three sixes, and earned her the player-of-the-match award. Knight was the calm at the other end, 70 not out from 42, nudging and running while Capsey swung. With Nat Sciver-Brunt ruled out of the series and Charlie Dean leading in her place, the chase was a reminder that England's batting runs a long way past the top name.
India's bowlers had their moments. Arundhati Reddy and Kranti Gaud took two each. But once the third-wicket stand found its rhythm, there was no obvious way back into it.
The timing stings for India
Losing a decider is one thing. Posting 180 and still losing it, days out from a World Cup, is the sort of night that sticks around. England, meanwhile, got exactly what they wanted: a chase under real pressure, chased down without fuss. The tournament is almost here.
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