England have been facing a low time in their career as a team as they have lost a T20 series and first ODI of the ongoing series as well.
The remaining two ODIs between England and India holds great significance as the Women’s World Cup is just on the way.
India remained dominant in the T20 series by winning three games whereas England won two after tough competition on last balls.
England added Kate Cross, Alice Davidson-Richards and Emma Lamb into ODI squad, as they were not included in T20 team. Cross claimed that England team knew how to play challenging games in tough competition.
“We won some really key moments under pressure and we managed to win two really close games under pressure,” Cross said. “That’s something that is talked about with this group, how we might not necessarily always win those moments, so they were two huge positives.”
“If you think of the Edgbaston game, if we’d been in that really strong position to win it and then gone on to lose that game, then a lot more questions would be being asked. We won it, so that was great but equally we don’t want to be in those positions. We want to try and kill games sooner.”
“Every cricketer that you talk to will be trying to do that, but mistakes are made along the way and pressure is put on you as a cricketer and teams are allowed to bowl well and bat well and take spectacular catches in the deep that change the momentum of the game.”
“It certainly looked like we’ve looked calmer under pressure on Saturday, which is the sign of a team that’s moving in the right direction. The calmer we can be under those pressure moments, then the better we’ll be in those huge moments in World Cups and Ashes series and going down to the wire against India in a three-match one-day series.”
On July 4, England managed to keep alive the five match series by 2-1, after trailing 2-0 at the Oval. England won that match on just final ball when Harmanpreet Kaur got caught by Sophie Ecclestone.
At Edgbaston, during the final match when series was already won by India 3-1, England was in strong position to chase the target of 168, they were at 95 without any loss after 10 overs. But they fell down at 163 for 5 and needed a single run on the last ball and Ecclestone made that winning score successfully.
“It feels like almost a line drawn in the sand with that series and then we’re going to go again with the one-day series,” Cross said.
“With the result, it wasn’t the way we wanted the series to go, so it’s a fresh start. We’re nil-nil again now, aren’t we? It’s an opportunity to try and get a win on the board tomorrow and go one-nil up in the series.
The second ODI between the two sides will be played on 19th July at Lord’s. England would give anything to win the second game and keep the series alive.
