By Rob Barnett
England took a significant step towards the Women’s World Twenty20 semi-finals by dismantling hosts Bangladesh at Sylhet.
A second straight win for Charlotte Edwards’ side put them at the summit of Group B, albeit West Indies could reclaim top spot when they face Sri Lanka later today.
Having lost to the Windies on Monday but beaten India on Wednesday, England crushed Bangladesh by 79 runs in an uneven contest that importantly boosts the victors’ net run-rate.
Edwards’ 80 from the top of the order underpinned a healthy 137 for five, a score aided by late contributions from Natalie Sciver and Heather Knight.
Danni Hazell and Sciver then claimed stunning figures of 3-4 and 3-10 respectively, each from four overs, as the home team were restricted to a paltry 58 for nine in front of a healthy crowd that was bitterly disappointed.
Edwards, who won the toss and announced an unchanged XI from the five-wicket defeat of India, made a solid start alongside Sarah Taylor.
However, Taylor chipped Salma Khatun to short midwicket to go for seven and Tammy Beaumont took eight balls to get off the mark.
Edwards upped the ante with two consecutive fours in the eighth over, but soon Beaumont was stumped off Khadija Tul Kubra and Lydia Greenway was lbw to Rumana Ahmed.
Though that left the visitors 49 for three in the 11th over, Edwards typically stayed calm and again hit back-to-back fours shortly before raising her fifty from 55 balls.
Edwards was dropped with England on 99, yet Sciver - who had run well for her 20 - was held at short fine-leg next ball to give Kubra a second scalp and break the game’s sole fifty partnership.
The skipper took her boundary tally to 11 - all fours - before being stumped off Khatun at the end of the 19th over. But Knight’s excellent 18 not out, 15 coming from the last set of six, ensured Bangladesh would have their work cut out.
The reply never really got going as Anya Shrubsole and Hazell, whose third wicket came in the eighth over courtesy of Greenway’s excellent take on the midwicket boundary.
Indeed, the first six scalps were all catches, although an Edwards spill saw her temporarily leave the field injured. She returned, only to drop another.
Greenway offered a different style of dismissal by affecting a run-out between Sciver chipping away. While she and Hazell were the most prolific bowlers, Rebecca Grundy impressed in her third international with her four overs costing just nine.