Taylor And Gunn Star In England's Five-Run Win

Taylor And Gunn Star In England's Five-Run Win

Claire Taylor (right) scored 73 to help England secure a five-run win over Sri Lanka Women

©Action Images / Steven Paston

England Women 192 (Taylor 73, Gunn 39, Rasangika 4-38) beat
Sri Lanka Women 187-9 (Hazell 3-22) by 5 runs
First One-Day International, Colombo
Scorecard

England Women held on to beat Sri Lanka Women by five runs to go 1-0 up in their two-match One-Day International series in Colombo.

England posted a score of 192 with Claire Taylor making 73 and they then restricted Sri Lanka to 187 for nine in reply, Jenny Gunn conceding just five runs from the final over when the home side required 11 to win.

Gunn had earlier given Taylor much-needed support by hitting 39 as England fielded two debutantes in Lauren Griffiths and Fran Wilson.

Taylor and Gunn put on 86 for the fourth wicket to steer England towards a match-winning total.

Off-spinner Danielle Hazell then kept the Sri Lankans in check with a career-best haul of three for 22 yet although Sri Lanka were reduced to 86 for seven, they fought back and took the game to the wire.

However, Gunn held her nerve and put England into the lead ahead of the second match on 17th November.

"We performed well in patches and had two good partnerships," Taylor said after the match. "It’s the first time we have been on grass for three months. Sri Lanka were well drilled and put in a good performance hitting some good boundaries."

Hazell added: "It was great to get a win under our belts and good to be back on grass. I’m pleased with my performance and to pick up three key wickets, I’m happy with that. I’m looking forward to the second ODI on Wednesday where we’ll be looking for a 2-0 series win."

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