Smite Mandala's magnificent unbeaten half-century helped India defeat England by eight wickets with 20 balls remaining in their second of three T20Is, levelling the series at one apiece. If this evening is any indication, just one end of the country has yet to experience the rainy and gloomy start to fall. Durham had provided a rainy start to the series on Saturday as England cruised to a nine-wicket victory in unfavorable circumstances for India. The next Tuesday was largely spent in persistent rain in London. While England's innings at Derby's Encore County Ground continued in the twilight heat, the midlands were still trying to hold on to summer. After lurching from 16 for 3 to 54 for 5, the hosts' viewpoint was perhaps not the most pleasant, but then 17-year-old left-hander Freya Kemp, a left-arm seamen, delivered an innings-saving unbeaten half-century of her own. However, in the end, it was the much more seasoned Mandala who brilliantly offset Kemp's effort with a score of 79 runs unbeaten to set up a series finale in Bristol on Thursday.
All-class Mandala
A below-par target was set as a result of England's early collapse and India's significantly better fielding, and Mandala was crucial in bringing it in. He faced 53 balls and connected with the boundary 13 times. She shared an opening partnership of 55 runs with Safari Verna, who was dismissed for 20 by Sophie Addlestone after taking a sharp return catch, and an unbroken partnership of 69 runs with Harpreet AUR, who would have been out on 19 had Dani Wyatt not blown a simple opportunity at deep middle wicket. The only other Indian batter to fall, Dayan Hemalatha, was struck on her off stump by a Freya Davies delivery that beat the outside edge. Mandala then added the winning runs with back-to-back fours from Davies that she smashed past middle wicket and over the bowler's head towards long-off.
England falters, but India perseveres
In the third ball of the match, from Rena Singh, Sophia Dankly clipped it for four through middle wicket, and Wyatt stroked the fifth between backward point and short third, giving England a promising start. However, in the following over, Wyatt edged Rena to Sneh Rana at first slip after Dankly charged at Deepti Sharma's first ball and was stumped by Rich Ghost. It was 16 for 3 thanks to strong fielding, an area in which India struggled in the first game, and an error by Alice Casey. After hitting Rena over the covers, Casey began to make a third run while Rad ADAV, who had just stopped the ball short of the rope and fired it effortlessly into Harpreet inside the ring, was sprinting around to her right in the deep. Casey stood her ground halfway down the field, flat-footed, much as Bryon Smith did at the non-end, striker's while she watched as Harpreet threw to the keeper, who fumbled but shattered the stumps with Casey still far away. While Smith was running in from deep middle wicket, Pooja Vastrakar parried what should have been a catch to dismiss her at number 12. This demonstrated that India still had some fielding blunders. However, Smith was bowled over the following delivery by Rana, who also got Amy Jones out as she was attempting a reverse sweep to a ball that slid under the bat and struck off stump. Rad ha made a spectacular diving effort to catch the ball as she rushed in from long on. Before Rana had Mia Boucher stumped to take her third wicket, Kiran Navier dropped her on 25 as they had a 65-run partnership with Kemp.
Kemp excels.
Kemp came in at No. 7 and proceeded to save the England innings with her 37-ball knock in her ninth T20I while only batting twice. By lofting Rad ha down the ground twice to bookend her heave over deep middle wicket off Rena, she blasted three sixes. She was undefeated at 51 and reached her first international fifty with a straight-driven four off the last ball of the innings. Less than two months ago, Kemp made her international debut at this venue against South Africa as England reorganized their T20 team in preparation for the Commonwealth Games. She was primarily selected for her bowling as England looked beyond seasoned steamers Katherine Brunt, who was rested for India's trip, and Anya Shrubsole, who has retired from international cricket. At the age of 17 years and 145 days, she became the youngest Englishwoman to achieve fifty in T20Is. In addition, Sarah Taylor, who struck 61 in an ODI against India in 2006 at the age of 17 years and 96 days, is the second-youngest player for England Women in international cricket.
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