Fresh but familiar needle has resurfaced between as England gear up for their crucial second ODI against India at Lord’s on Saturday.
Indian opener Pratika Rawal has been fined 10 per cent of her match fee given one demerit point for making ‘avoidable physical contact’ during her side’s four-wicket victory on Tuesday.
Rawal was pulled up regarding two incidents, the first of which she made contact with Lauren Filer while running to the non-striker’s end, and the second seeing her make contact with Sophie Ecclestone after being bowled out.
“It [the incident with Filer] was not intentional, I was just running in my way,” said Rawal. “And the shoulder barge thing was also not deliberate. I don’t think there is any reaction to it or any fuss about it.”
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Highlights of the first ODI between England and India.
Rawal pleaded guilty to the Level 1 breach of the ICC’s code of conduct regarding “inappropriate and deliberate physical contact between players in the course of play”.
Opener Rawal departed for 36 from 51 deliveries on the day as India successfully chased down England’s score of 258-6 in the 49th over, Deepti Sharma starring with an unbeaten 62.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s second ODI, England’s Alice Davidson-Richards played down the altercations as an indication of added tensions.
“I don’t think necessarily (it was a sign of needle),” she told Sky Sports. “I think you like to see people be competitive.
“Obviously, you don’t need to see those sorts of things in the game, but yes, you want to see competitive games of cricket and that’s all that matters.”
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India’s Richa Ghosh stumped Alice Davidson-Richards after her half-century
The teams notably clashed back in 2022 in the wake of Charlie Dean’s controversial ‘Mankad’ dismissal, which saw Sharma pull out of her bowling action to knock off the bails with the England batter out of her crease while backing up at the non-striker’s end.
Sharma subsequently suggested Dean had been warned on the field, a claim Heather Knight would later deem to be a lie. As the teams prepare to meet at Lord’s three years on, Dean has seemingly brushed off the incident.
“Did something funny happen a few years ago? Charlie may have mentioned it once or twice,” said all-rounder Alice Davidson-Richards.
“It’s been mentioned in more of a jokey way. It’s something we can laugh at and I think Charlie finds it funny to joke around with it. We’re just excited for the team to get going.”
Saturday’s clash awaits as a must-win for England as they seek to avoid back-to-back series defeats, having been beaten 3-2 across their five T20 meetings.
It serves as another opportunity for Charlotte Edwards’ team to find their form ahead of the World Cup.
“Yes, momentum is a wonderful thing,” Davidson-Richards told Sky Sports.
“I think that becomes more of a thing when you actually get a bit closer to the tournament.
“It’s still quite far away but, yes, I think the World Cup is in October. We’re playing tomorrow so I think we’ll deal with tomorrow and then we’ll deal with the World Cup later on.”
England vs India schedule
All times UK and Ireland; all live on Sky Sports
T20 international series
One-day international series
- First ODI (Southampton): India win by four wickets
- Second ODI: Saturday July 19 (11am) – Lord’s
- Third ODI: Tuesday July 22 (1pm) – Chester-le-Street
Watch the second women’s one-day international between England and India, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.30am on Saturday (first ball, 11am) or stream without a contract.
