Nat Sciver-Brunt produced a captain’s knock of the highest order as her record-breaking fifth Women’s Cricket World Cup century was the catalyst for England’s 89-run win over Sri Lanka.
The 33-year-old brilliantly combined boundary hitting with rotating the strike in Colombo on the way to a run-a-ball 117, which was also her 10th career one-day international century.
Having posted 253 for nine with the bat, England maintained their 100% record at the tournament, and took top spot in the group stage table. Their bowlers, led by Sophie Ecclestone’s brilliant four for 17, bowled out Sri Lanka for 164, inside 46 overs.
England was 49 for two when Sciver-Brunt arrived at the crease, openers Amy Jones and Tammy Beaumont having made 11 and 32 respectively.
The captain was handed a life on three, when she was dropped at mid-wicket by Udeshkia Prabodhani.
However, she was imperious from then on, scoring freely to reach her 50 off 57 balls.
Despite that, wickets fell regularly at the other end.
After putting on 60 for the third wicket with Heather Knight, who made 29, no other English batter made it to 20 runs.
However, a useful late 38-run partnership with Charlie Dean (19) took England to 206 for seven, giving Sciver-Brunt the platform for a devastating close to the innings — eventually out on the second-to-last ball.
In response Sri Lanka made a solid start, before Ecclestone scythed through the top order dismissing four of their top five — including the key wickets of top-scorers Hasini Perera (35) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (33) — to leave them reeling at 116 for five.
England pressed home that advantage, as Sciver-Brunt added to her fine day with two wickets, as did Dean, while Linsey Smith and Alice Capsey took one each. — Allied Media
