Nat Sciver and Alice Davidson-Richards hit hundreds as England earn first-innings lead vs South Africa | Cricket News
England lead South Africa by 44 at stumps on day two of one-off Test; hosts recover from 121-5 as Nat Sciver (119no) and debutant Alice Davidson-Richards (107) put on sixth-wicket stand of 207 – watch day three from 10.30am, Wednesday, Sky Sports Cricket
Last Updated: 28/06/22 6:27pm
Alice Davidson-Richards and Nat Sciver hit hundreds as England earned a first-innings lead over South Africa
Nat Sciver and debutant Alice Davidson-Richards hit hundreds as England recovered from a batting collapse to carve out a first-innings lead over South Africa on day two of the one-off Test at Taunton.
Sciver (119no) and Davidson-Richards (107) joined forces at 121-5, at which point England trailed by 163, with the hosts losing 5-56 once Tammy Beaumont and Emma Lamb’s 65-run opening salvo had been snapped.
But come stumps, England had moved into a 44-run run advantage at 328-6, with Sciver and Davidson-Richards’ sixth-wicket partnership reaching 207 before the latter was out to the last ball of the day.
Vice-captain Sciver topped her previous best Test score of 88, set at Taunton against Australia three summers ago, and went on to reach three figures from 182 deliveries as runs came at a canter after tea.
Davidson-Richards reached the landmark even more quickly, from 173 balls, as she became just the second England Women player to score a century in her first innings, after Enid Bakewell in 1968.
The 28-year-old is also just the second England debutant, male or female, to compile a hundred and take a wicket, after WG Grace back in 1880 – a feat Jamie Overton narrowly missed out on in last week’s men’s Test against New Zealand at Headingley.
South Africa’s grip on the game drifted as they bowled their spinners ahead of the second new ball and England milked runs, while the tourists were then wasteful with the fresh Dukes in the evening.
Sciver and Davidson-Richards plundered 152 runs in 38 overs in the final session as England coasted past South Africa’s 284 all out, with the late dismissal of Davidson-Richards only talking a small amount of the gloss off.
More to follow…
Watch day three of the LV= Insurance Test between England and South Africa live on Sky Sports. Coverage begins at 10.30am on Wednesday on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Mix with the first ball at 11am.
