England slip to crushing defeat in one-off Test in India

England fell to a crushing 347-run defeat in their one-off Test against India inside three days in Mumbai.

The hosts declared on 186 for six leaving England a target of 479 to chase down from the final two days of play, but it took India just one session to bowl them out for a first home victory in nine years.

Heather Knight top-scored for the visitors with 21 runs to her name as India swept up 10 wickets in just 27.3 overs.

Openers Tammy Beaumont and Sophia Dunkley started England’s second innings in a more assured manner than the first but put on 28 runs before the first wicket fell as Beaumont was clean-bowled by Renuka Singh Thakur.

The visitors had already collapsed in their first showing with the bat and another was looking increasingly likely when Pooja Vastrakar claimed two wickets from two balls, first Dunkley for 15 before Nat Sciver-Brunt walked on a golden duck.

Then came England’s highest partnership of the innings as Knight and Danni Wyatt managed 31 runs inside the next four overs, but the stand was soon broken when Knight became Vastrakar’s third victim before Wyatt fell to Deepti Sharma for the second time in the match.

With five wickets down, it appeared a matter of time before England’s defeat was sealed and the visitors slipped from 83 for four to 83 for six when Amy Jones and Sophie Ecclestone were sent packing.

Sharma smashed through England’s tail when she clean-bowled Kate Cross and then Lauren Filer to claim her fourth of the innings.

England’s defeat was confirmed when Lauren Bell spooned one into the hands of Jemimah Rodrigues at silly point to secure India a first Test win at home against England in six attempts.