Nat Sciver-Brunt, Maia Bouchier plunder Sri Lanka in hefty stand

A stunning century from Nat Sciver-Brunt and 95 to Maia Boucher led England to a commanding total in a rain-hit third and final ODI against Sri Lanka in Leicester.

The pair rescued their side from 18 for 2 with a 193-run partnership for the third wicket to set the visitors a daunting target of 274 in a match reduced to 31 overs a side after the start was delayed by more than three hours.

Sciver-Brunt, playing her 100th ODI and captaining the side after Heather Knight was forced to return to the team hotel feeling unwell, scored her century off just 66 balls – the fastest by an England Women’s player in ODIs – en route to 120 from 74. Bouchier, meanwhile, fell five runs shy of her ton in a blistering 65-ball innings.

It was a fraught start for England after the visitors had won the toss and put them in under heavy skies. Tammy Beaumont survived on 1 when she struck Udeshika Prabodhani hard but straight to Harshitha Samarawickrama, who fumbled the chance at deep midwicket. Achini Kulasuriya then beat Beaumont’s outside edge with an excellent ball which also just missed off stump, then tempted Beaumont to advance on the next ball, only to be caught by Hasini Perera at slip.

Bouchier, opening for the second match in a row with Emma Lamb still out with a back spasm, despatched Prabodhani over deep midwicket for six next over. But Prabodhani responded in her next over by castling Alice Capsey, who managed just 6 batting in Knight’s place at No. 3, and England were 18 for 2 in the fifth over of a six-over Powerplay which they ended at 28 for 2.

But by the 10-over mark that had become 72 for 2, thanks in no small part to Sciver-Brunt, who helped herself to 15 of the 16 runs conceded by Inoka Ranaweera in her first over, with her back-foot drive through cover followed by a thunderous pull to the rope at deep midwicket and a monstrous six into the stands beyond long-off.