LONDON: Natalie Sciver and Heather Knight both scored maiden centuries as England posted their highest-ever ICC Women’s World Cup total en route to beating Pakistan by 107 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) Method in Leicester on Tuesday.

Sciver hit 137 off 92 balls and captain Knight scored 106 off 109 balls as England recovered from 42 for two to finish at 377 for seven in 50 overs, the second-highest total in competition history behind Australia’s 412 for three in 1997.

While the 213-run partnership equalled England’s third-wicket record stand set back in 1993, Pakistan left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu finished with figures of one for 82 — the most expensive in Women’s World Cup history.

Pakistan opener Ayesha Zafar was 56 not out and Nain Abidi, batting at five, 23 not out when rain brought an early end to the proceedings with the scoreboard reading 107 for three in 29.2 overs.

“It was really nice to get that partnership together and have a convincing win,” said Knight after England were put into bat following a short rain delay. “We don’t really set targets too much, it’s about getting as many runs as we can. Pakistan actually started well, we had to ride that out a bit, play our shots and enjoy ourselves.”

Knight struck 12 fours and two sixes in a 109-ball 106, while Sciver slapped 14 fours and four sixes in a whirlwind 92-ball 137.

There was also an entertaining 50-run partnership between Danielle Wyatt (42 not out) and Fran Wilson (33).

The form of Ayesha was a rare positive for Pakistan as the opener brought up her half-century off 67 balls.

It was a second defeat in as many outings for Pakistan and captain Sana Mir said: “We disappointed a lot of fans today. In the first game, we were not able to play the standard we set ourselves and we did not reach those standards again.”

Meanwhile Wednesday’s fixture between New Zealand and South Africa in Derby was abandoned without a ball being delivered because of persistent downpour.

Result of other match:

Played on Monday:

At Taunton: Australia beat West Indies by eight wickets.

WEST INDIES 204 in 47.5 overs (H.K. Matthews 46, S.R. Taylor 45, C.N. Nation 39, D.J.S. Dottin 29; E.A. Perry 3-47, K.M. Beams 2-30, J.L. Jonassen 2-39); AUSTRALIA 205-2 in 38.1 overs (N.E. Bolton 107 not out, B.L. Mooney 70; S.R. Taylor 2-33).

Scoreboard

ENGLAND:

T.T. Beaumont c Sidra b Kainat 14 S.J. Taylor lbw b Kainat 11 H.C. Knight c sub b Asmavia 106 N.R. Sciver c sub b Sana 137 D.N. Wyatt not out 42 K.H. Brunt b Nashra 9 F.C. Wilson b Asmavia 33 J.L. Gunn c Javeria b Asmavia 0 A. Shrubsole not out 12

EXTRAS (LB-1, W-12) 13

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 50 overs) 377

FALL OF WKTS: 1-22, 2-42, 3-255, 4-279, 5-298, 6-357, 7-357.

DID NOT BAT: D. Hazell, A. Hartley.

BOWLING: Asmavia Iqbal 10-1-62-3 (3w); Kainat Imtiaz 9-0-68-2 (6w); Sana Mir 9-0-78-1 (1w); Nashra Sandhu 10-0-82-1; Sadia Yousuf 10-0-74-1 (2w); Nahida Khan 2-0-12-0.

PAKISTAN:

Ayesha Zafar not out 56 Nahida Khan c Sciver b Brunt 3 Javeria Khan b Brunt 11 Asmavia Iqbal lbw b Hartley 5 Nain Abidi not out 23

EXTRAS (LB-4, W-5) 9

TOTAL (for three wkts, 29.2 overs) 107

FALL OF WKTS: 1-7, 2-26, 3-67.

DID NOT BAT: Bismah Maroof, Kainat Imtiaz, Sana Mir, Sidra Nawaz, Nashra Sandhu, Sadia Yousuf.

BOWLING: Brunt 6-1-21-2 (1w); Shrubsole 5-0-16-0; Gunn 3-0-16-0 (1w); Hazell 7-0-28-0 (2w); Hartley 6.2-1-13-1; Sciver 2-0-9-1 (1w).

RESULT: England won by 105 runs (DLS Method).

UMPIRES: C.M Brown (New Zealand) and J.M. Williams (West Indies).

MATCH REFEREE: R.B. Richardson (West Indies).

PLAYER-OF-THE-MATCH: Natalie Sciver.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2017