2nd WODI: England cruise to 8-wicket victory to level series 1-1

London, Jul 19 (PTI) Opener Amy Jones hit a fluent 46 not out as England made short work of an out-of-sorts India, winning the rain-hit second Women's ODI by eight wickets at the Lord's on Saturday. After a fine batting performance in the opening match in which India chased down a target of 259, it was a listless show by the Women in Blue as they huffed and puffed their way to 143 for 8 in 29 overs with Smriti Mandhana's 42 being the top score.

In reply, England openers Jones and Tammy Beaumont (34 off 35 balls) added 54 for the opening stand before off-spinner Sneh Rana removed the latter who attempted a reverse sweep but was caught plumb in-front.

But Jones and skipper Nat Sciver Brunt (21) had added 48 runs for the second wicket stand when rain stopped play with home team needing 42 runs more to win.

Once play started, it became a cakewalk as England's revised target was 115 in 24 overs and Kranti Gaud bowled a perfect nip-backer to breach Sciver-Brunt's defence. Finally it was Sophie Dunkley who hit a boundary off Kranti to finish the game in 21 overs.

Twenty overs were required to constitute a match and the Lord's ground-staff worked at an alarming speed to get the ground ready so that at least eight balls were bowled and England were ahead in terms of DLS par score.

The three-match series is now levelled 1-1 and the final game will be played at Durham on July 22.

Earlier, Mandhana played a fine hand of 42, but steady England bowlers, led by left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone, restricted India to 143 for eight after the match was reduced to 29 overs-a-side.

India lost opener Pratika Rawal in the second over, getting castled while trying to steer a fuller length delivery from pacer Em Arlott (2/26) to third man.

Mandhana (42) and Harleen Deol (16) added 40 runs for the second wicket as India appeared to have survived the early jolt.

But the dismissal of Deol, caught off her own bowling by Ecclestone (3/27), opened the floodgates. Mandhana, who was dropped on two by Lauren Bell off her own bowling, stayed firm at one end.

Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur was deceived by a quick, straight one from Ecclestone to lose her timber. Jemimah Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh also returned to the dugout in quick succession.

India lost four wickets for 26 runs at that juncture, and Mandhana’s dismissal completed the rout.

The elegant left-hander pushed an otherwise expensive left-arm spinner Linsey Smith (2/28) to Charlie Dean inside the circle.

India were 98 for six at her fall, but Deepti Sharma (30 not out) and Arundhati Reddy (14), who came in for Amanjot Kaur, added 26 runs for the seventh wicket to take India forward a bit.

However, the dismissal of Reddy ended that promising stand and India's chances of a decent total. PTI UNG AT KHS PDS PDS