Five wickets in final session leaves England on top

After the late evening exploits from Sneh Rana and Deepti Sharma on opening day, Jhulan Goswami latched on to the opening created early in day two. With the new cherry in hand, Goswami dismissed Katherine Brunt leg-before after a successful review overturned the on-field decision in India’s favour.

Sophia Dunkley was given an extra life while she was on 27 as Deepti dropped a return catch. Once again failing to capitalise on the opening, the eighth-wicket partnership between Sophie Ecclestone and Dunkley managed to erect another fifty run stand - 56 in 105 balls.

It was Deepti who finally got India the breakthrough. Ecclestone attempted to become the aggressor but was caught in the process at mid-on by Shikha Pandey. It was India’s chance to restrict the hosts under 350 but as Anya Shrubsole arrived at the crease alongside Dunkley, that was not to be.

The two accelerated from the get-go when play resumed post Lunch. In the 120th over bowled by Sneh Rana, Shrubsole tonked 18 runs followed by 13 runs in the next over by Shikha Pandey.

On debut, Dunkley soaked all the pressure and batted like she has been on the international stage for ages. Dunkley smashed her maiden Test fifty and remained unbeaten on 74.

Shrubsole blazed 47 runs off 33 deliveries while coming in to bat at number 10. Her 55-ball 70 run partnership with Dunkley helped England post a first-innings total of 396/9 after which the hosts decided to declare.

In response, Indian openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma took the visitors to Tea.

It would be heartbreak in the end for Verma who fell agonisingly short of a maiden Test century, dismissed by Kate Cross for 94.

Mandhana would also bring up her fifty in the final session of the day, falling to Nat Sciver for 78.

The hosts finished the day strongly as another three wickets fell before stumps to leave India at 187/5, still trailing England by 209.