England Women Extend Unbeaten Run With Arundel Win

England Women Extend Unbeaten Run With Arundel Win

England's fine run continued with another impressive victory.

©Action Images / Paul Harding Livepic

England Women 93-3 (C Taylor 56no) beat
India Women 90-7 (Naik 28, Colvin 3-18) by seven wickets
Fourth One Day International, Arundel. England lead the series 4-0

England Women took another step towards an unprecedented 2008 season of unblemished success with a seven-wicket win over India Women in the fourth One Day International at Arundel Castle to move into a 4-0 series lead with one match still to play.

Just as Taunton's third One Day International was affected by rain, giving the sides more of a warm-up for the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup than the forthcoming 50 over version in Australia, this one was a 23 overs per side affair that England dominated.

India's batting never fired with only wicket-keeper and opening batsman Sulakshana Naik making any headway, hitting 28 from 50 balls.

Left-arm spinner Holly Colvin impressed again with figures of three for 18 with Isa Guha removing Jaya Sharma early on before three Indians were run out as they pushed desperately to accelerate their innings late on.

For once, England were unable to get off to a flying start as openers Sarah Taylor (nought) and Caroline Atkins (six) fell cheaply but a stand of 46 between Claire Taylor and Charlotte Edwards (17) kept India at bay.

Edwards was trapped in front by Gouhar Sultana, leaving Taylor, as she had done at Taunton, to close out the game with an unbeaten 56 alongside Lydia Greenway, who made 12.

Nevertheless, England reached their target with just five balls, an indication that India pushed them hard and are beginning to get to grips with English conditions and their opponents.

The final match between the two sides takes place at Hove on September 9th.

Already this summer, England have beaten the West Indies (1-0) and South Africa (4-0), also beating the latter opponents 3-0 in a Twenty20 International series.

© Cricket World 2008