ENG-W vs SL-W Ball by Ball Commentary

OUT! EDGED AND GONE! Sophie Ecclestone wraps things up on the final delivery of the game, as England Women bowl out Sri Lanka Women for 132 runs and win the opening game by 87 runs. Ecclestone puts more energy into the action and pushes the ball quicker through the air. This is fractionally full and around off, Malki Madara looks to play at it but gets a faint edge through to the keeper. Amy Jones takes a sharp catch and appeals, but the umpire turns it down. The review is taken and UltraEdge confirms the deflection, overturning the on-field decision.

Slightly tossed up, outside off, pushed away through cover-point for a single.

Nicely bowled! Lovely loop on the delivery, tossed up wider of the off stump. Mithali Ayodhya looks to drive but the ball beats the outside edge.

Bowled flatter and on off, dabbed away late into the off side.

OUT! CAUGHT! Nilakshika Silva finally falls and Sophie Ecclestone gets her first wicket of the game. Nicely tossed up, getting the ball over the batter's eyeline as well. Nilakshika Silva skips down the pitch and lofts it down the ground but straight to the fielder at long on. Alice Capsey takes a simple catch and Silva's fine knock comes to an end.

FOUR! Nilakshika Silva is still at it, another fine shot. Fuller one, sliding down leg, tossed up as well. Silva comes down the pitch and whips it wide of deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

No single taken and Freya Kemp ends with stellar figures of - 4-0-22-4. Good length on the pads, tucked down to long leg by Madara.

Another dot ball, three on the trot. Kemp keeps the length full and slants it well across the right-hander. Malki Madara leans on to drive but the ball beats the outside edge.

Full-pitched delivery on leg stump, Madara pushes it back to the bowler this time.

Hard length, on middle and leg, Madara jams it back onto the deck.

A bit of yes and no, but they do take the single eventually. Back of a length on leg, pulled through square leg for one.

Cheeky from Nilakshika. Pitched up around middle, Silva gets right across the off stump and scoops it perfectly over the keeper's head for a couple of runs as the short fine leg fielder tidies up.

Length ball around off, Madara waits back and punches it to deep point for one more. Actually, they don't take the single.

Flatter again, angled in from outside off. Silva gets forward and jams it towards cover for a run.

Full and flat, fired in just outside off. This is swatted down to mid off.

SIX! This has been a real fighting knock from Nilakshika Silva. Tossed up, Silva advances down the track, gives it her all and whacks it over long on for a biggie. England Women still unable to clean up the Lankan tail.

Shortens the length, does Smith and drops it on off. Silva backs away and powers the cut through the point region for a couple of runs.

A bit more round-arm, floated full and outside off. Madara eases it through covers for one.

The bumper now, dug in well short and outside off. Nilakshika Silva leaves it alone.

Pace off yet again, worked away behind square leg for a single.

Another back-of-the-hand slowerball, full and at the stumps. Nilakshika Silva comes down the track and hammers it straight back. Lauren Bell tries to get out of the way in the follow-through but sticks out two hands as well. The ball bursts through to long off and a single is taken.

Good length, but angling down leg. Madara presses back and tickles it down to fine leg for a single.

Slower again, back of a length and at the batter, pulled away through square leg for a run. Nelson is up for Sri Lanka Women now.

Top bowling. A loopy slower one, Nilakshika Silva's eyes light up seeing the flight of the ball, but it dips big time and Silva has to block it off.

Good length on off, pushed away off the back foot towards cover.

Oh, beaten on the inside edge now. The arm-ball, angles back in sharply. Malki Madara backs away to cut but is nearly cut in half.

Beautifully bowled. A lot more flight on offer, lands it fuller on off and gets it to turn away a bit, does Sophie. Malki Madara leans on to block, but the ball goes past the outside edge.

Tossed up, Silva comes down the pitch and eases it to long on for a single.

Slower and shorter on leg, pulled away straight to short fine leg.

FOUR! Nilakshika Silva is fighting till the bitter end, it seems. Darted in around off, Silva backs away and plays a really late cut, just past the keeper and the ball races away into the deep third fence.

Slower one, floated up on the pads, worked away just behind square leg for a single.

Good-length delivery, outside off, Malki Madara pushes it to sweeper cover for a single.

Fuller in length, pitching outside leg. This is swung away towards deep square leg for a single. A slight fumble from Linsey Smith, but she recovers quickly.

Full, at the stumps, Nilakshika Silva swings hard but gets a leading edge. The ball bounces off toward short third and the batters get a couple of runs.

WIDE! With that, 100 comes up for Sri Lanka. Good length, wide outside off, Nilakshika Silva attempts to clip it but misses completely. She gets a bit off balance and steps out of her crease after playing the shot, but just gets her back foot down before Amy Jones can dislodge the bails.

Slower one, a bit shorter and on the hips. Silva gets tucked up and nudges it into the leg side. The batters look for one but decide against it as Kemp quickly gets to the ball.

No Hat Trick! Kemp delivers a much fuller delivery, outside off, angling away. Nilakshika Silva looks to offer a drive at it but it zips past the outside edge. Amy Jones collects the ball behind the stumps and dislodges the stumps, but Silva's back leg is placed inside the crease.

The arm ball now, on a nagging length, attacking off and middle. Malki watchfully blocks it off.

Smith drags her length back, offering a lot of width, Silva cuts it to deep point for one.

Dragged length, offering width outside the off stump. Nilakshika Silva reaches out and slaps it away, wide to the right of sweeper cover and picks up two more runs.

A tad fuller, just outside the off stump. Nilakshika Silva hangs back and tries to cut it, but gets an outside edge. The short third fielder runs back and cuts it down to two runs.

Darted in towards the off pole, a tad fuller as well. Malki Madara rocks back and jams it through square covers for a single.

Fuller, wide outside off, Nilakshika Silva pushes it late, toward the right of the backward point fielder for a single.

OUT! TIMBER! Incredible from Freya Kemp, on her T20 World Cup debut, and she already has a four-fer to her name. Kemp goes full and straight, angling the ball into the pads. Sugandika Kumari makes a bit of room, trying to play it on the leg side, but plays all around it. The ball hits the ball and then deflects back onto the stumps. Kemp will be on a hat-trick if she gets another over, and Sri Lanka Women are in serious danger of not even breaching the 100-run mark.

OUT! BOWLED' EM! The wickets keep on tumbling, and the batting vulnerabilities have been exposed badly for Sri Lanka. This is a touch shorter from Kemp, at the stumps. Kaushini Nuthyangana rocks back and swivels on her back foot to pull it away, but it sneaks past the inside edge and rattles furniture behind. Sri Lanka are 92 for 7 now.

On a length and on off, pushed away gently into the off side by Kaushini Nuthyangana.

OUT! CAUGHT! Straight to the fielder this time, and Freya Kemp does get her second wicket. Another slightly slower delivery from Kemp, fractionally short as well, and over middle. Kavisha Dilhari heaves it across the line, flat and hard, but straight down the throat of the deep square leg fielder. Linsey Smith makes no mistake and Sri Lanka Women are now 6 down.

DROPPED! Danni Wyatt-Hodge fumbles the swirling ball under the lights, but one would expect her to take it. Freya Kemp pitches the ball up at the pads, Kavisha Dilhari looks to whip it leg side but the ball holds in the deck a bit. Dilhari ends up skewing it high over the point region. Danni tries to run back and take it over the shoulder, but the ball spins away from her and she ends up spilling it. Two taken.

Back of a length, shaping away from the batter. Kavisha Dilhari tries to pull it away, but gets beaten. Amy Jones collects the ball and whips the bails off the stumps without wasting any second, but Dilhari's backfoot is firmly inside the crease.

Around the wicket now from Dean. Bowled on a length around leg and Dilhari tugs it across in front of mid-wicket for another single.

Fuller, at the stumps, Silva sweeps it to deep backward square leg and gets a single.

Fired in at the stumps, Dilhari goes down on one knee to sweep but ends up spooning it well over the head of the bowler, for a single.

In the air... but drops short of the fielder! Tossed up outside off at 79.2 kph, Dilhari completely mistimes the lofted shot. But it falls short of Knight at mid off, who can't get her body behind it, and the long on fielder runs across to her left to cut it off. Two runs taken.

The Lankans are now going hell for leather. Tossed up outside off, Silva dances down the track and heaves it on the bounce to long on for just a single.

Tossed up, fuller, outside off, Nilakshika Silva lunges and works it across the line toward the right of the bowler.

Another decent hit and Kavisha picks up a couple of runs more. Banged in short over middle, Kavisha Dilhari climbs on top of the bounce and pulls it to the left of deep square leg for a brace. Good work in the deep from Linsey Smith as well.

FOUR! Now that's an excellent shot from Dilhari. A cross-seam delivery, on a good length, on off. Kavisha Dilhari walks down the track and uses her bottom hand to loft it beautifully over the mid on fielder for four runs.

Bashing the hard length, just outside off, this is hit away to cover-point.

Close, but not close enough. England Women get two opportunities here, but both batters survive. Danielle Gibson drags the length short, bowling it around off. Kavisha Dilhari rocks back and snatches at the pull but ends up hitting it flat and back towards the bowler. Gibson gets her right hand up but the ball bursts through to mid off. Nilakshika Silva at the non-striker's end looks for the single, but is sent back. Sophie Ecclestone scores a direct hit at the bowler's end as Silva puts a dive in and gets home safely. And after a long delay, NOT OUT does come up on the big screen.

Tap and run! Good length, attacking off stump, Silva dabs it into the off side and pinches a quick single.

Good-length delivery, nipping in, just outside off, Nilakshika Silva dabs it to the left of the bowler.

Overpitched by Sophie, around off. Kavisha Dilhari shimmies forward and lifts it over mid off. The ball just plugs in the long off region for a couple of runs. At halfway, Sri Lanka Women are 77/5, needing 143 runs.

Low full toss, outside off, Nilakshika Silva pushes it to cover.

Shortens the length, on off. Kavisha Dilhari hangs back and drags it to the long on region for a single.

Oh, Dilhari just gets the inside edge. Nicely flighted up and drifting in on middle and leg. Kavisha Dilhari goes back to late dab it but is completely cramped for room, and drags it off a thick inside edge past the leg stump. The ball rolls to deep fine leg and the batters take a couple of runs.

Slips in a full toss on the leg stump, Nilakshika Silva eases it down to long on for a single.

Pitches a fuller one, on off, Kavisha Dilhari pushes it to mid off and gets a single.

A single to end the over, 11 runs and a wicket off it as well. Nice and full, on middle. Kavisha Dilhari shows the full face of the blade and pushes it to mid on for one more.

Oh, a dropped chance, but what an attempt from the centurion! Her real first blemish in the field. Full and outside off, Nilakshika Silva stretches well across and drives it uppishly in the direction of backward point. Wyatt-Hodge throws herself to her left, gets both hands on it, but the ball pops in and out. One run taken.

Nicely bowled. Pitched up, just angling it across the off stump. Nilakshika Silva leans halfway and looks to drive but the ball breezes past the outside edge.

OUT! BOWLED! An absolute peach of a delivery and just like that, half the Sri Lankan side is dismissed. The off cutter from Kemp, on a fuller length, on off. It lands and straightens up just enough to beat the outside edge of Harshitha Samarawickrama who tries to push it away to the off side. She hears the death rattle behind her. Sri Lanka Women are 67/5, chasing 220 runs.

Fuller, at the pads. Harshitha Samarawickrama whips it through backward square leg for a couple.

WIDE! Pushed down leg, on a fullish length. Harshitha Samarawickrama misses glancing it to the leg side and loses her balance in the process. Amy Jones collects the ball to her right and is quick to whip the bails off. But Harshitha is much quicker to plant her back leg into the crease.

SIX! That's some shot from Samarawickrama. Short of a length, just outside off, Harshitha Samarawickrama transfers her weight on her back foot and pulls it hard from the middle of her bat to clear the deep mid-wicket fence, which is also the longer side of the boundary.

OUT! LBW! Wicket number 2 for Dean and England are joyous as they can sense a win already. Good length ball that seems to keep a touch low, though nothing alarming about it. Hansima is caught on the crease, trying to swipe across the line, but cannot get the bat through in time. The ball raps her on the bent back leg, in front of the off stump. A very confident shout for LBW and the finger is raised. Hansima Karunaratne walks to her partner and decides not to review this one. Sri Lanka Women are 58/4, needing 162 runs from 72 balls.

Short, around middle and leg. Hansima Karunaratne pulls it to deep square leg. Kemp runs to her right and slides to make a safe stop. Two runs taken.

Lands it full at 86.6 kph, on middle and full in length. Harshitha Samarawickrama sits across and sweeps it hard to deep square leg, straight to Danni Wyatt-Hodge for a single.

A touch fuller, outside off, turning it away from the southpaw. Harshitha Samarawickrama cuts it straight to the point fielder.

Pitched full and around off. Harshitha Samarawickrama lofts it inside out over cover. Danielle Gibson is there who tidies it up and keeps the batters down to a couple of runs.

Dean starts off offering a fuller delivery with some flight, just outside off. Hansima Karunaratne flicks it to the right of short mid-wicket and gets a single.

FOUR! Cleverly done. 50 up for Sri Lanka! Back of a length, outside off. Harshitha Samarawickrama plays it very late and glides it to deep third. Lauren Bell is again in action. She runs to her right from deep point, puts in a slide but is unable to stop it. Four runs. 13 runs from Gibson's first.

Good-length delivery, outside off, Hansima Karunaratne pats it to deep point for a single.

WIDE! A solo appeal from the keeper for caught behind, but the umpire gives it a wide. Back of a length, angling down the leg side. Hansima Karunaratne tries to pull it but misses to connect.

FOUR! Put away! Short of a length, angled on the bodyline. Hansima Karunaratne waits for the ball to arrive and pulls it uppishly behind square on the leg side. Lauren Bell charges to her right and tries to haul the ball back in but fails to do so as it stays out of her reach and rolls into the fence.

On a nagging length, around the thigh pad of the batter, Harshitha Samarawickrama pulls it late to deep fine leg for a single.

Nips in a shade on a fuller length, on middle. Hansima Karunaratne tucks it to deep square leg for a single.

Danielle Gibson scoots over the wicket and bowls on a good length, angling away from the left-hander. Harshitha Samarawickrama looks to cut it through point, but gets a thick outside edge, before the ball rolls to deep third for a single.

Superb fielding once again! Very full and outside off. Hansima Karunaratne gets on the front foot and splits the backward point and cover-point gap. Lauren Bell sprints all the way to the deep and dives to flick the ball in before the ropes. The batters cross for the second run. After 6 overs, Sri Lanka Women are 39/3.

Slow and short, angling in, around the off stump. Hansima Karunaratne punches it to cover.

OUT! SHARP CATCH! That's the difference so far between these two teams. England have been spotless in the field, unlike their counterparts who were extremely sloppy. On a length, around middle and leg. Dulani goes down on one knee and unleashes a hard sweep, but fails to keep it down and the ball flies straight and flat to Freya Kemp at square leg. She gets low, gets her palms in the right spot and the ball sticks like glue. England are right on top. Sri Lanka Women are struggling very badly. They are 37/3, needing 183 runs.

Oh, just managed to get some gloves on it. Short again, pitching it outside off and turning in toward the off pole. Imesha Dulani once again looks to reverse sweep it, but fails to get the connection and the ball hits her gloves.

Full and drifting in on off, Dulani spanks it on the bounce to mid off.

Short and well outside off, Imesha Dulani looks to reverse sweep it, but fails to get the connection.

Beaten! A lot quicker this time around, outside off on a length, hurries Harshitha as she attempts to steer it past point, but misses to connect. Gets beaten on the outside edge by a kitten-whisker.

Oh, nearly played on! Spins in from off, on a fuller length. Harshitha Samarawickrama is stuck halfway and tries to put her bat on the ball, but gets an inside edge and the ball rolls past the leg stump to short fine leg. Beauty of a delivery from Ecclestone.

FOUR! A confidence-building shot! Full and quick, on off, Harshitha Samarawickrama picks the length, charges down the track and smashes it between cover and mid off for boundary.

Spins in from outside off, on a fuller length. Harshitha Samarawickrama tries to sweep, but the ball bounces a bit and takes the top edge. Runs through short fine leg and is chased by Lauren Bell for a couple of runs.

Dropped short and outside off. Harshitha Samarawickrama misses to cut it away to point.

Full and drifting on the pads. Imesha Dulani shuffles far outside off and laps it fine to the deep fine leg region. The ball slows in the outfield and Heather Knight manages to chase it down from the inner ring. Three runs taken.

Sharp off-break, full and on off, Harshitha Samarawickrama deliberately opens the bat face to run it behind to deep third. Sophie Ecclestone from deep point runs a long way to her right to cut it off before the ropes. Two taken.

FOUR! Nice timing! Half volley around middle and leg, 85.5 kph. Samarawickrama shimmies across to get to the pitch of the ball and creams it through the gap between extra cover and mid off.

Very full and outside off, Harshitha Samarawickrama carves it to cover, but cannot split the gap.

Full and on off, Harshitha Samarawickrama drives it to mid off.

OUT! In the air taken spectacularly! ​​Danni Wyatt-Hodge cannot do anything wrong in this game. She is having a day to remember. Dean tosses it up nicely, full and on the stumps, around off. Chamari Athapaththu goes for a premeditated sweep shot, but gets a big top edge. The ball gets ballooned towards square leg and Danni Wyatt-Hodge runs over her right shoulder, sees the ball like a hawk and takes a fine diving catch. This is a body blow to Sri Lanka as Chamari Athapaththu departs cheaply. Sri Lanka Women are 22/2, needing 198 runs more.

Dean starts with a full ball, from around the stump. Chamari Athapaththu punches it back to the bowler.

Attacks the stumps, on a slightly fuller length. Imesha Dulani bunts it back to the bowler.

In and around off, full in length, Imesha pushes it gently to short cover.

FOUR! Good-looking shot! Short and outside off. Imesha Dulani climbs on the ball by hopping. Makes full use of the width and crunches it through the cover gap for a boundary.

WIDE! Wayward from Bell, on a good length, far down leg. Imesha Dulani shuffles to play the scoop shot, but does not lay her bat on the ball. A good diving stop by Jones to her left.

Full and around off, Chamari Athapaththu taps it through point for an easy single.

On a back of a length, aimed at the pads. Imesha Dulani tries to nudge it to the leg side, but gets beaten and the ball is deflected off the thigh pad to deep fine leg for a leg bye.

WIDE! Sprays it way down leg, on a fuller length. Imesha Dulani walks inside the line and misses to flick. Wide called.

OUT! LBW! As usual, it is Bell to provide the first wicket for the hosts. She lands it on a fractionally fuller length and aims the stumps. Vishmi Gunarathne walks forward and looks to whip it across, but her head falls over and she plays all around it getting struck on the front pad. A confident appeal for LBW and up goes the finger instantly. Looks dead-straight but Vishmi Gunarathne has taken the review after having a chat with her captain. UltraEdge presents a flat line. Ball Tracking shows the impact is in line and the ball is projected to crash into the middle stump. Three reds and Vishmi Gunarathne is gone. Sri Lanka lose the review, and their first wicket. They are 14/1, chasing 220.

Too full, on middle, Vishmi carves it over the bowler. It rolls down the ground and is mopped up by Capsey to her left from long off. One run.

Full and sliding in on off, Vishmi steps out and takes it on the full, hitting it to mid-wicket.

Full again, on off, Chamari lofts it over the bowler and the ball once again plugs in the deep. The long off fielder cuts it off to her left. One taken.

Drops it full and on off, Chamari Athapaththu clears the front leg and hoists it over mid on, but unluckily for Chamari, the ball lands and just plugs into the damp outfield at long on for a couple of runs.

Looped up on middle. Chamari takes it on the full and shovels it to the mid on fielder.

Low full toss on off, from around the stump. Vishmi Gunarathne mistimes it and forces it to mid off for a tight single.

FOUR LEG BYES! Just straying down leg on a fuller length. Chamari Athapaththu misses the flick on the inswinging ball and the ball grazes her front pad and beats the diving Amy Jones to her right. The ball just stays out of her reach and races away to the fence behind. 9 runs off the first over of the chase.

Back of a length, moving away, on off. Vishmi Gunarathne walks out of the crease to negate the swing. Tries to pull but misses and the ball also beats Amy Jones, who dives to her right. Rolls through her gloves towards the left of deep third for a bye.

FOUR! Finds the gap to get the chase underway for Sri Lanka! Much fuller but wide outside off. The ball keeps moving away from the batter and Vishmi Gunarathne leans on, throws her bat at it and threads it through backward point and short third for a boundary.

Back of a length, curving away from the batter. Vishmi gets a bit squared up and blocks it to short cover.

At 109.4 kph, this is full and around off, swinging away. Vishmi Gunarathne pushes it gently to mid off.

Bell is on the money and almost creates a chance! A hint of away swing from leg to middle, full in length. Vishmi Gunarathne looks to flick it to the leg side but the excessive movement ekes a leading edge but the ball lands in front of the mid off fielder.