Yastika Bhatia made history at Lord’s on Sunday, becoming the first woman to score a Test century at the home of cricket with 113 as India pushed their lead past 400 against England on day three of the one-off Test.
According to IANS, the India wicketkeeper-batter brought up her maiden international hundred off 145 balls with 12 fours, dropping to her knees to kiss the turf as the crowd rose to her. The Baroda-born batter, back in the side after a serious ACL knee injury, had resumed on 39 and survived a first-ball scare when Lauren Bell’s delivery clipped her off stump without dislodging the bails. Former Australia batter Mel Jones, on commentary, called it “a moment she will never, ever forget”, as reported by IANS.
Yastika Bhatia Joins Kranti Gaud On The Lord’s Honours Board
Bhatia becomes the second Indian name etched at Lord’s this week after Kranti Gaud’s five for 37 on Saturday, which The Guardian reports made the seamer the first woman on the ground’s Test honours board as England folded for 170 in reply to India’s 285.
That 115-run lead has since become a mountain. Smriti Mandhana followed her first-innings 83 with another half-century, and even record-breaker Sophie Ecclestone toiled, finishing with four for 104 in the second innings as India batted England out of the contest.
England now face a monumental final-day task on Monday to save the first women’s Test ever staged at Lord’s, 142 years after the ground hosted its first men’s Test.
