9.55pm So, that's the end of that. It's over to Chelmsford for a day game on Saturday, but before that, we'll be back with the men's T20I team at Old Trafford tomorrow. It's all go as we head into the autumn of the summer... so to speak. From Miller and Co. Goodnight!

Alice Capsey is player of the match: "Took a couple of balls to get used to the pace of the pitch, try to hit the pockets as hard as possible. The message has been clear from Heather and Lewie about how I go about my game. Giving me freedom to do it my way. I like going from series to series, focus then reset with different groups and gain energy from different people. Batting is my number one but want to turn into that full allrounder."

Chamari Athapaththu: "I'm a bit worried because we lost the game but looking forward to playing good cricket in the next two games. We tried our best, struggled to grip the ball in the wet conditions and cold weather. Have to adjust to these conditions. A few youngsters and a few seniors, hope we can play good games in the rest of the series."

Heather Knight: "Really pleased, tested our adaptability at the end, and Mahika was brilliant on debut, looking forward to Chelmsford. Had a quick chat with her before she came out, a good bowler, a bit different for us, exciting prospect, good to see her have some success. Giving opportunities, wanted Freya to play her natural game and she bombed a six over midwicket. A number of players to choose from, so tests you as captain as you get used to new players."

9.43pm So... that's the end of game one of this T20I series. England secure a 12-run win on DLS, that would surely have been a wider margin in a full-length game, but Sri Lanka fought gamely in their reduced chase and briefly gave their hosts cause for concern defending 68. But Mahika Gaur's maiden England wicket ended any real doubts despite de Silva's tonking.

Fundamentally though, the match was won by England's batting. Principally Danni Wyatt and Alice Capsey, and a hefty 17-over total of 186 for 4.

5.6

Cross to Nilakshika, OUT

wide yorker, pace off, good finish, Cross can't quite gather, but mid-off swoops with a direct hit. It's all academic but the umpire is taking a look. Looks like the bat might be in the air as the bails come off. Sri Lanka's valiant chase finishes in a run-out

Nilakshika Silva run out (Knight) 18 (8b 3x4 0x6 10m) SR: 225

5.5

Cross to Gunaratne, 3 runs

makes room to leg, flashed down to deep third, skids off the greasy outfield and Gaur makes good ground to save the four

5.5

Cross to Gunaratne, 1 wide

bouncer, down the leg side... that'll help Sri Lanka's cause! Don't want one of those to race away for four...

5.4

Cross to Nilakshika, 1 run

bouncer, pace off, swatted to the leg side, and that, barring no-balls, is the game

5.3

Cross to Nilakshika, FOUR runs

gallops to the pitch, battered through the covers! Top boshing, and now it's just three sixes in a row required! The fifty is up

5.2

Cross to Nilakshika, FOUR runs

four more! Width, crashed through point! It's still just within reach!

5.1
4
Cross to Nilakshika, FOUR runs
energetic launch across the line as Cross serves up an offcutter, and Silva keeps Sri Lanka alive with a boundary through midwicket
So, all over bar the tonking here. Five sixes? It's not impossible. Here's Cross to guard against meltdowns

end of over 56 runs • 1 wicket
SL-W: 38/2CRR: 7.60 • RRR: 30.00 • Need 30 from 6b
Nilakshika Silva5 (3b)
Vishmi Gunaratne14 (15b 2x4)
Charlie Dean 1-0-6-1
Mahika Gaur 2-0-16-1
4.6
1
Dean to Nilakshika, 1 run
lines up a flog to leg, Dean takes the pace off and the ball loops to the leg side after some loopy spin

4.5
2
Dean to Nilakshika, 2 runs
cracked hard into the off-side, Dean gets half a hand on it

4.4
2
Dean to Nilakshika, 2 runs
square-driven, out to deep point, Gibson tidies up

4.3
W
Dean to Perera, OUT
steps across her stumps for a slog-sweep, and pinned in front of middle! There will be a review, but this looked adjacent. Clearly pad first, and thumping leg stump. Sri Lanka's challenge is almost done you sense
Hasini Perera lbw b Dean 0 (2b 0x4 0x6 2m) SR: 0

4.2
•
Dean to Perera, no run
tries to get to the pitch, inside-edges onto her pads

4.1
1
Dean to Gunaratne, 1 run
tight line outside off, clipped to the on-side
Charlie Dean into the attack

end of over 49 runs • 1 wicket
SL-W: 32/1CRR: 8.00 • RRR: 18.00 • Need 36 from 12b
Vishmi Gunaratne13 (14b 2x4)
Mahika Gaur 2-0-16-1
Danielle Gibson 1-0-11-0
Her family seem quite chuffed too!
3.6
W
Gaur to Athapaththu, OUT
edged, gone, Gaur has her first England wicket! And it's the key scalp of Chamari! A flat flog across the line as Gaur hits the pitch, back of a length, hint of away swing, scuffs the edge, Jones does the rest! That's her night's work done, and what a way to finish it! Jones nearly made a mess of that, in fact
Chamari Athapaththu c †Jones b Gaur 15 (10b 2x4 1x6 19m) SR: 150
See all photos

3.5
•
Gaur to Athapaththu, no run
feisty response! A well-directed bouncer, whistling past the lughole. "One for the over," is the cry from the umpire

3.4
6
Gaur to Athapaththu, SIX runs
in the slot, and launched over deep midwicket! Sri Lanka aren't going down without a fight here! Gaur strays too full, Chamari is braced, deep in the crease, and unleashes!

3.3
1
Gaur to Gunaratne, 1 run
down on the paddle sweep, doesn't make proper contact, but burgle the single as the keeper mops up down the leg side

3.2
2
Gaur to Gunaratne, 2 runs
very full, on the pads, whipped behind square and good running to get back for the second

9.26pm: Right. The players are back. Gaur has the ball. Let's finish this.
pedro alonso: "1 56 in the morning here in srilanka it will be great if chamari could able to crack this target"
9.20pm: Play is going to resume in nine minutes! The requirement will be 68 off six overs - so 17 balls in which to score to 45 runs. Certainly a more favourable equation for SL than it was, though still quite an ask. Sit tight
9.10pm: Good news: it has stopped raining, and some of the covers have been removed. The umpires are out in the middle having a look, although there seem to be some areas of concern after all the rain that fell earlier in the day. Hearing that the cut-off to get back on is 9.33pm
8.54pm Alan Gardner, in situ in Hove, confirms that it is currently very moist. We are facing a lengthy delay, if not a terminal one. We've already lost half-an-hour for the delayed start, no word of cut-off times yet.
Rain stops play. Okay, now that is pelting down now.... We've had our two-hour window. How quickly will this clear? For a match to be in progress, we'd need to reach the end of the five overs... and Sri Lanka would need to have 45 on the board... so they are adrift on both counts at the moment.
According to the rain radar, this initial band ought to pass quickly, but there's something rather more disgusting lurking out in the Channel. It might pass below Hove... but it might not...
3.1
•
Gaur to Gunaratne, no run
tidy line, shape into the right-hander, thumps the pad but off the inside-edge

end of over 311 runs
SL-W: 23/0CRR: 7.66 • RRR: 11.71 • Need 164 from 84b
Chamari Athapaththu9 (7b 2x4)
Vishmi Gunaratne10 (11b 2x4)
Danielle Gibson 1-0-11-0
Mahika Gaur 1-0-7-0
That rain is getting rather heavier for now... but on we go again. Gaur will have a second to get herself into the international swing
2.6
•
Gibson to Athapaththu, no run
big appeal for the lbw, but looked like that pitched outside leg

Read full commentary

Match details

County Ground, Hove
Toss	Sri Lanka Women, elected to field first
Series	Sri Lanka Women tour of England
Season	2023
Player Of The Match	Alice Capsey
Series result	England Women led the 3-match series 1-0
Match number	WT20I no. 1566
Match days	31 August 2023 - daynight (20-over match)
Umpires	Rob White Sue Redfern
TV Umpire	Anna Harris
Reserve Umpire	Jasmine Naeem
Match Referee	Wayne Noon

Language

English

Match Coverage

All Match News

Mahika Gaur hits her straps as England's next generation step up
Alice Capsey hails "exciting young squad" after teenage trio help to seal victory in first T20I

Capsey, Gaur shine in the wet to help England clinch rain-affected win
Teenagers to the fore as England dodge delays and DLS to go 1-0 up in series

Heather Knight: Sri Lanka series marks start of new World Cup cycle
England captain draws line under "watershed" Ashes, onus on growing competition for places

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SL Women Innings

PLAYER NAME		R	B
RMVD Gunaratne	not out	17	16
AMCJK Athapaththu	caught	15	10
GWHM Perera	lbw	0	2
NND Silva	run out	18	8
Extras	(w 5)
Total	55(3 wkts; 6 ovs)

PLAYER NAME	O	R	W	Econ
KL Cross	2	22	0	11
M Gaur	2	16	1	8
DR Gibson	1	11	0	11
CE Dean	1	6	1	6

WKT	RUNS	PLAYERS
1st	32	Chamari Athapaththu	Vishmi Gunaratne
2nd	1	Hasini Perera	Vishmi Gunaratne
3rd	22	Nilakshika Silva	Vishmi Gunaratne

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