England face an uphill battle to keep the one-off Test alive after being bowled out for 170 and conceding a 269-run lead against India by stumps on Day 2 at Lord’s. Amy Jones’ counter-attacking half-century briefly revived the hosts’ hopes after they had slipped to 47/4, but Kranti Gaud’s maiden five-wicket haul ensured India remained firmly in control. Speaking after the day‘s play, Jones reflected on England’s batting collapse, India’s dominance and why the hosts are still backing themselves to turn the match around.
“We’ll absolutely believe that we can win”
Despite England’s difficult position, Jones insisted there was no talk of merely trying to save the Test.
“Ideally, we’ll get a few early wickets, bowl them out and then hopefully chase the target. It’s a good batting wicket, so it could make for an exciting chase. We just need big partnerships. We’ll absolutely believe that we can win. There are still two days of cricket left and there’s no reason why we can’t have a day as good as India had today.”
India executed better than us
Jones admitted England were second best throughout Day 2, praising India’s discipline with both bat and ball.
“It was a tough day. We obviously would have liked a lot more runs and then getting that one wicket wasn’t easy either. I thought India batted really well. They absorbed pressure when we bowled well and then punished the bad balls. They executed their plans for much longer than we did.”
She added that India’s ability to build partnerships proved to be the biggest difference.
“They had bigger partnerships and individuals batted for longer. That’s the challenge of Test cricket, doing your skills well for long periods, and they definitely did that better than us today.”
Praise for Kranti Gaud
Jones was full of praise for India’s pace spearhead – Kranti Gaud – after her maiden five-wicket haul.
“I thought Kranti bowled really well. She hit excellent lengths, got the ball to nip around and looked a real handful. I didn’t have to face too much of her, luckily. To take a five-for at Lord’s is very special and thoroughly deserved.”
‘It’s a good batting wicket’
Despite England’s struggles, Jones felt the surface remained favourable for batting.
“I thought it was a good wicket. I faced mostly spin and there wasn’t a huge amount of turn. One ball kept a bit low, but overall I really enjoyed batting on it.”
Adapting to the demands of Test cricket
Jones admitted the biggest challenge in women’s Test cricket is adjusting to the format after long gaps between matches.
“You have to reconnect with how you want to play every time because we don’t play Tests very often. The biggest thing is executing your skills for as long as possible, whether that’s batting for long periods or asking the bowlers to bowl their best ball consistently.”
A record crowd made it special
Even on a difficult day, Jones said the atmosphere at Lord’s was unforgettable.
“It’s been brilliant from the start. You could hear and feel the energy from the crowd. Walking through the Long Room and then stepping out onto the ground was a special experience. It’s been great to be part of the first women’s Test here at Lord’s, and we’re excited to see what the next two days bring.”
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