One-off Test: Here are the records scripted by Sneh Rana
Sneh Rana saved Team India from the jaws of defeat in the one-off Test against England Women. India Women, who had been asked to follow-on, were tottering at 199/7. However, a match-defining knock by Rana denied the hosts a victory. She (80*) put on a century-stand with wicket-keeper Taniya Bhatia to secure a draw for Team India. Here are the records Rana scripted.
India Women were bundled out for 231 in reply to England's 396-9 d in the first innings. After receiving the follow-on, India were reduced to 189/6 and were on a brink of losing the Test. Rana, playing her maiden Test, smashed an unbeaten 80 off 154 balls (13 fours). She shared a 104*-run stand with Bhatia (44*) to ensure India a safe passage.
Besides her terrific effort with the bat, Rana also took four wickets in the match (4/131 in the first innings). She has become only the third Indian after Amar Singh and Washington Sundar to hit a fifty and take four wickets on Test debut. Rana is the first Indian woman and fourth overall (women's cricket) to have achieved this historic feat.
Rana registered the third-highest score while batting at number eight or a lower position on women's Test debut. Chamani Seneviratna smashed an unbeaten 105, batting at number eight against Pakistan in 1998, while Shelley Nitschke struck 81* at number 10 against England in 2005. Notably, Rana's 80* is also the second-highest score on women's Test debut for India, behind Shafali Verma's 96 (first innings).
The likes of Rana and Taniya Bhatia added 104* for the ninth wicket. Bhatia joined Rana when India were reduced to 240/8. This has become the second-highest ninth-wicket stand in women's Tests. Their score is only behind Beverly Botha and Maureen Payne, who added 107 runs after South Africa lost eight wickets for just 49 runs against New Zealand in 1972.
