Ecclestone leads spinners' show as England bowl out Bangladesh for 178

Guwahati, Oct 7 (PTI) The wily Sophie Ecclestone did the star turn with excellent figures of 3/24 as England's spinners dished out a thoroughly professional performance to bowl out Bangladesh for 178 in the Women's World Cup here on Tuesday.

For Bangladesh, Sobhana Mostary top-scored with a patient 108-ball 60 while Rabeya Khan made an entertaining 43 off 27 balls after coming in at number nine, showing the way to the team's top-order batters how to do it after England opted to field first.

Besides Ecclestone, off-spinners Charlotte Dean (2/28 in 10 overs) and Alice Capsey (2/31 in 8 overs) chipped in with two wickets for England.

Coming off a convincing win against Pakistan in their tournament opener, Bangladesh were off to a confident start with Sharmin Akhter picking 14 runs off a Lauren Bell over, even as left-arm spinner Linsey Smith didn't give even an inch to the two openers, the other being Rubya Haider.

While Smith, who was handed the new ball, kept things tight at one end, Bell struck in her third over when she dismissed Rubya Haider after a mistimed lofted shot by the batter ended in the hands of Sophia Dunkley, who backtracked a bit to complete a good catch.

England captain Natalie Sciver-Brunt also deserves some credit for the opening breakthrough as she persisted with Bell despite the bowler being hit for three boundaries by Sharmin Akhter (30 off 53 balls).

Skipper Nigar Sultana looked to be in double mind as she played a half-hearted drive in the air after the ball stopped on her, giving a catch to Charlie Dean at short cover off the bowling of Smith.

Sultana failed to open her account and after after a promising start, Bangladesh found themselves on the back foot, having lost two wickets in five balls at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, where the famous 'Ya Ali' song was played sporadically in memory of late singer and Assam's biggest cultural icon, Zubeen Garg, who died recently.

Sobhana Mostary joined Akhter, and the two added 34 runs while playing some lovely shots until the latter was out caught behind to a classical left-arm spinning delivery bowled by Ecclestone, in the 16th over. PTI AH BS BS