Sophie Ecclestone delivered a masterful spell of bowling, including back-to-back wicket maidens, to guide England to their third successive Women’s World Cup victory against Sri Lanka.
The move from Guwahati to Colombo has not dented England’s momentum as they climbed to the top of the group with an 89-run win over one of the tournament hosts.
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Nat Sciver-Brunt scored her first century since taking over the captaincy in April, hitting 117 from as many deliveries as her side made what proved to be a match-winning 253 for nine.
But it was Ecclestone who changed the course of the run chase with four wickets for just 17 runs from her 10 overs. It was scintillating stuff from a player who admitted she considered leaving the sport just a few months ago.
The contrast to little less than a year ago could hardly be more stark. In October 2024, England were sent crashing out of the T20 World Cup in a nightmare display against the West Indies, with Ecclestone leaving the field covering her face with a cap.
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Ecclestone took England’s exit from the T20 World Cup last year badly, but is in fine spirits (below), and form, 12 months on – AP /Altaf Qadri
AP /Eranga Jayawardena
Former cricketer Alex Hartley then said there were some in the side “letting the team down” when it came to fitness. What followed would prove to be the beginning of the end for Jon Lewis’s tenure as England head coach.
Although Hartley did not name specific players, the words had a serious impact. It developed into a bitter feud that carried over into the humiliating 16-0 whitewash in the Women’s Ashes at the start of this year, when Ecclestone refused to do an interview with her former team-mate.
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At the end of the home international summer, Ecclestone admitted she considered quitting cricket in the aftermath of the Ashes, and went on to take a break from the game to prioritise her mental health.
However, under a new captain and new head coach [Charlotte Edwards], Ecclestone is back to being England’s match-winner. Before her introduction in the 19th over, Sri Lanka were 89 for one chasing 254 to win and had not looked troubled. But with the first ball of her second over, Ecclestone took a crucial wicket and started Sri Lanka’s collapse.
She reduced Sri Lanka to 103 for four and then 116 for five with the pick of her scalps, bowling Chamari Athapaththu with a ball that pitched outside off stump and gripped to clip the top of the wicket. It changed the course of the match, Sri Lanka eventually falling 89 runs short.
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Chamari Athapaththu is clean bowled by Ecclestone – AFP via Getty Images/Ishara S Kodikara
After a tumultuous year for England, they are on the brink of re-establishing their position on the international stage.
After tough talk over their fitness and fielding, England have looked a different outfit here. The personnel might be almost identical, but the fielding has been sharp and the bowling threatening – even if the majority of the runs seem to come from the same sources.
The first innings was punctuated by the image of captain Sciver-Brunt holding her bat like a baby with helmet off in celebration of her first official ODI century since she took over the captaincy and became a mother.
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Nat Sciver-Brunt celebrates in appropriate style having reached her first century since becoming a mother – ICC via Getty Images/Matthew Lewis
In view of her young son and wife Katherine, Sciver-Brunt seized on the opportunity, having been dropped on three, to make 117. No other England player made more than 32 as Sciver-Brunt steered England to what proved to be a match-winning total.
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