Yastika Bhatia Hits Maiden Test Century at Lord's as India Dominates England

W

Overs72.2

Score287 - 6

Sophie Ecclestone to Yastika Bhatia, OUT! MISTIMED IN THE AIR AND CAUGHT! Bhatia’s marathon ends, and English players line up to applaud her, showing excellent sportsmanship. The crowd at Lord’s claps her at every step as she makes her way through the Long Room to the dressing room. Sophie takes her fourth. Tossed up around middle; Bhatia advances out to smash it straight down the ground, but loses her shape, trying to hit it too hard. But slices it off the toe, sending it high up the chimney. Mady Villiers positions herself at cover and holds on to the catch. India Women are 287/6, leading by 402 runs.

1

Overs71.6

Score287 - 5

Issy Wong to Yastika Bhatia, Half a chance! Wong is lying flat on her front with a wry smile. Touch fuller, on the stumps. Yastika Bhatia smashes it down the ground, hitting it flatly over the bowler's head. Issy Wong sticks both her hands over her head to pluck the ball on her follow-through, but it whistles above them and rolls down the ground for a single.

4

Overs70.3

Score280 - 5

Sophie Ecclestone to Richa Ghosh, FOUR! Off the edge! Runs continue to rattle along for India. Short and around off. Richa Ghosh flashes hard at it to play the cut shot, but gets an outside edge, and it flies over the first slip fielder, Nat Sciver-Brunt, for a boundary at deep third.

4

Overs70.1

Score276 - 5

Sophie Ecclestone to Richa Ghosh, FOUR! Such a beautiful shot! On a fuller length, on middle and leg. Richa Ghosh gets a big stride in front and flicks it off the pads, beating Issy Wong at deep mid-wicket, to her right, for a boundary. India seem to be putting their foot down now.

W

Overs68.4

Score264 - 5

Sophie Ecclestone to Deepti Sharma, OUT! LBW! Brilliant bowling by Sophie to pick up her third wicket. She will be gunning for five wickets and to get her name on the board as well. Pushed through by Ecclestone, full and around off. It lands and spins in as Deepti sits down to play the sweep shot but misses and is hit on the back thigh. A very confident appeal for LBW, and up goes the finger. Deepti Sharma has instantly reviewed it though. Flat line on the UltraEdge. Impact is umpire's call on the Ball Tracking but the ball is projected to crash onto the off stump, so Deepti will have to walk back. India Women are 264/5, leading by 379 runs.

A moment to cherish for a lifetime for Yastika Bhatia. Not everyone gets a chance to play a Test match at Lord's, let alone score a hundred here and get their name on the Honours Board. Also, Sophie Ecclestone to bowl from the other end.

1

Overs67.6

Score259 - 4

Issy Wong to Yastika Bhatia, HUNDRED FOR YASTIKA BHATIA! A knock of the highest quality from her. The celebration starts quietly, but after a big hug with her partner Deepti Sharma, her emotions spill out. Just outside off on a fuller length, Bhatia drives it away to deep cover for an easy single. It's been a rocky road for her to get to this milestone, being constantly in and out of the side due to a streak of injuries, but she can savour this historic moment as she becomes the second women's Test cricketer to get her name etched on the Lord's Honours Board, after Kranti Gaud. A special moment for the Indian keeper-batter as she gets to her maiden Test century.

The Indians would have enjoyed their lunch a lot more. England, on the other hand, did the hard work but have pretty less to show for despite picking up three wickets and walk out for another stint of toil with the ball in the London heat. We have roughly about 75 overs remaining in the day but going by the current over rate, like the first two days, it looks highly unlikely to get all the overs in. Yastika Bhatia is just 9 short of getting her name inked on the Lord's Honours Board, and she walks out with Deepti Sharma to continue their budding alliance of 38 runs. Right, India lead by 365 runs. Issy Wong will start the session with the ball. Here we go...

The toil continues - It was a good start to Day 3 for England Women as Lauren Bell gave them a couple of quick breakthroughs, but the other failed to build on it. Sophie Ecclestone kept probing and did finally get the wicket of the Indian skipper, but the hosts haven't quite managed to stem the flow of runs. They are under the caush and will hope that they can strike early after the Lunch break. A crucial session is upon us, and the post-Lunch session might well decide which way this game is heading, so stay tuned. Play is expected to resume at around 12.40 pm GMT (6.10 pm IST). Join us then.

The declaration conundrum - How much is enough? That will be the question in the Indian dressing room as they will be looking for a total that gives that safety of not losing the match, but if they bat for too long, there might not be enough time to bowl the hosts out. For now, they will look to take the lead at least past 400 and Yastika Bhatia is 91 unbeaten, eyeing up what would be a fantastic ton.

LUNCH, DAY 3 - India Women are in a commanding position heading into the interval as they lead by 365 runs and still have 6 wickets in hand. A session that saw the visitors score at a brisk pace again and in spite of 3 wickets, England Women are under the pump here.