Guwahati: Tammy Beaumont put up a strong performance with her bat, helping England to get a comprehensive 41-run opening win in the T20I series against India at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Monday.
Player of the Match Beaumont scored a 57-ball 62, which included nine boundaries. However, the right-handed batswoman said Danielle Wyatt and Heather Knight’s innings helped the visitors shrug pressure off and push England towards a mammoth total of 160 for four.
“To get scores and anchor the innings through was good. It is good to be on the winning side. But, I think the way Danni Wyatt played and Heather Knight came in around was exceptional. That’s what really got us to that good score,” she said.
England dealt with injury and illness before stepping on to the field. The visitors, who were already missing the services of wicket-keeper Sarah Taylor, were further depleted when their second wicket-keeper Amy Jones fell ill, requiring Beaumont to wear the gloves.
However, the visitors displayed an all-round show to take a comfortable early lead 1-0 against India.
“Everyone stuck their hand up when it mattered and made a contribution. Given the adversity of the last 48 hours, with illness and injury, I think that was really impressive.”
“Danni (Wyatt) and I hit in quite different areas, so we compliment each other very well. We just wanted to play the right shots,” she said.
Beaumont heaped praises on her “exceptional” captain Knight, who smashed 40 off just 20 balls and the young spinner Linsey Smith, who returned 2-22.
“She (Smith) has come back in, the first game of the tour, and first ball pretty much, [gets] a wicket – and not just any wicket but that of Smriti Mandhana.”
“She bowled to her plan, and she is really good … she’s got a big future. She has not played many games, but she has got a really good temperament. She is always up for the fight and that’s what you want in T20 cricket. If she gets hits a six then she wants to respond even more,” Beaumont said.
England, with 1-0 up lead, will meet India for the second T20I of the three-match series on March 7 at the same venue.
[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]