England fall to 133-5 in pursuit of India’s 222-run goal, before Sophia Dunkley (73rd) and Katherine Brunt (33rd) share the match-winning 92-run position; England lead 2-0 in the three-game ODI series, while up 6-2 (points) in the multi-format series.
Sophia Dunkley scored an ODI fifty for the first time to see England with a five-wicket victory over India in the second one-day international at Taunton.
Chasing 222 to win, England were in trouble at 92-4 when Dunkley reached the fold for his first ODI inning, in just his second game.
That situation worsened when Amy Jones fell by 28 as the home team slipped to 133-5, but Dunkley (73rd) found a willing partner in Katherine Brunt (33rd) and the pair pulled off an uninterrupted 92 to see England win with 15 balls to spare.
Dunkley, just 22, also scored an undefeated half-century (74th) when he made his testing debut earlier this month.
Earlier, after England won the toss and chose to go in first, Kate Cross (5-34) claimed a five in favor as India was eliminated for 221. Sophie Ecclestone also impressed, the left arm spinner took 3-33 of her 10 overs.
Shafali Verma (44) and Smriti Mandhana (22) had started India strong with an opening pair of fifty before Cross threw last, cutting off his stumps, in the twelfth second.
Cross added Jemimah Rodrigues (8) cheaply, while Ecclestone then saw the back of the talented young Verma, puzzled, courtesy of some quick reactions from Jones behind the stumps.
Mithali Raj (59 on 92 balls) rebuilt the Indian innings, but cautiously, with Harmanpreet Kaur (19), but there was to be another meltdown when Kaur finished off a catch back to Cross.
Six wickets fell for 47 runs and India was suddenly 192-9 in 47th when Raj was exhausted, before final wickets pair Jhulan Goswami (19th) and Poonam Yadav (10) had a bit of fun in the later overs. to at least lift India above 200.
In response, England lost star hitter Tammy Beaumont (10) and captain Heather Knight (10) cheaply. Lauren Winfield-Hill (42 of 57) fired briefly, but then when she and Nat Sciver (19) set off in quick succession, it seemed like the hosts were against it.
But Dunkley came in, producing a calm and sure blow that contradicted his tender age and experience. She and Brunt soon built a promising position and eventually led England to a fairly comfortable victory.
Watch the third one-day international game between England and India, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.30am. M. From Saturday.
