Watch highlights of England's win and Charlotte Edwards' ton
Charlotte Edwards’ ninth format hundred helped England to a 13-run win over India and secured victory in the Royal London One-Day Series with a match to spare.
The England skipper now has more centuries in the 50-over game than any other player in the history of women’s cricket, and her unbeaten 108 was backed up by 4-23 from Jenny Gunn as the tourists fell just short at Scarborough.
After losing the toss and being inserted under grey skies, England openers Edwards and Heather Knight found scoring difficult as they compiled just 26 in the opening 10 powerplay overs.
Knight, who had already come close to being run out twice in successive balls, finally succumbed to a direct-hit from Shikha Pandey as she attempted a quick single to mid-on.
Sarah Taylor added some much needed impetus to the England innings as she and Edwards put on 50 for the second wicket in just 10.3 overs, but after the wicketkeeper saw a top-edged sweep loop over her own head and bowl her for 30 off Rajeshwari Gayakwad, India were able to apply the brakes to the hosts’ innings yet again.
Edwards brought up a patient half-century from 93 deliveries but, when Lauren Winfield was stumped off Gayakwad by Karuna Jain for 10, England found themselves languishing on 112 for three.
Jhulan Goswami returned to have Lydia Greenway and Tammy Beaumont both adjudged lbw in successive deliveries, and though Natalie Sciver survived the hat-trick delivery, the 22-year-old was forced to rebuild alongside her skipper through the batting powerplay.
The pair added 44 in 46 deliveries before Sciver handed Gayakwad her third wicket as she holed out to Punam Raut at long-off for 17.
Gunn, Danni Hazell and Anya Shrubsole all fell in the closing overs, and it was left to number 11 Kate Cross to help guide Edwards through to three figures.
The England captain - who was dropped by Jain on 80 - brought up her century with a cut for four, sparking wild celebrations in the middle.
Edwards eventually finished unbeaten on 108 from 145 balls, hitting 11 boundaries, as the home side posted a testing 214 for nine from their 50 overs.
Gayakwad returned career-best figures of 4-42 while Goswami finished with 3-30.
India began their chase in watchful fashion, though Smriti Mandhana was fortunate to survive a dropped chance by Greenway at point when on 15.
Cross was the unlucky bowler on that occasion, but she was soon amongst the wickets as Raut offered her a simple return catch.
England women's captain @Lottie2323 collects her player of the match medal #EngWomen pic.twitter.com/eIetiMf6lD
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) August 23, 2014
Jain was soon adjudged lbw off Gunn before Greenway atoned for her earlier error by taking a simple catch at backward point to remove Mandhana for 32.
India skipper Mithali Raj threatened to pull the visitors back into the match with a fluent 30 but, when she was trapped lbw to Knight’s first ball, England sensed a series win.
Vellaswamy Vanitha offered some hope for India with some lusty blows before she was caught behind off Shrubsole, but a stand of 33 between Harmanpreet Kaur and Goswami for the sixth wicket left the visitors requiring 45 from the final 10 overs.
From there their innings fell apart, however, as a superb one-handed caught and bowled from Gunn to dismiss Goswami began a spell of three wickets in 12 balls for the loss of just a single.
Pandey was stumped by Taylor off Knight before Kaur holed out to Gunn at long-on for a well-compiled 43 to give Shrubsole her second wicket.
Gunn then bowled Nagarajan Niranjana before Gayakwad chipped Hazell to Winfield at mid-off to close out the win in the penultimate over.
The teams now travel to Lord’s for the third and final match of the series on Monday.
Live Scorecard / Follow ECB_cricket on Twitter
India Innings
Charlotte Edwards press conference audio https://t.co/cs38JAiHmr via @audioboo
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) August 23, 2014
5.35pm - WICKET! Rajeshwari c Winfield b Hazell 5; Ind 201 all out - ENGLAND WIN BY 13 RUNS! - England secure the match and series when Hazell ousts Shivanand Rajeshwari.
5.30pm - India's last-wicket pair are giving it a good go. They need 15 off 17 balls now. It's tense at North Marine Road.
One wicket left for #EngWomen to get! Watch live - http://t.co/QHZXrot826 pic.twitter.com/sqRCubbMjt
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) August 23, 2014
5.20pm - WICKET! Niranjana b Gunn 5; Ind 182/9 - Can Gunn claim five wickets? She has a fourth as she bowls Nagarajan Niranjana. India still need 28 for victory.
5.15pm - WICKET! Kaur c Gunn b Shrubsole 43; Ind 172/8 - England can smell a series victory now as India lose a third wicket in as many overs. It's a big one too as Gunn takes a smart catch on the rope to dismiss Kaur.
5.11pm - WICKET! Pandey st Taylor b Knight 0; Ind 172/7 - The returning Knight makes a breakthrough with the fourth ball of her new spell, having Shikha Pandey stumped by Taylor.
5.08pm - WICKET! Goswami c&b Gunn 18; Ind 171/6 - Gunn ends the stand of 33 by taking a return catch to dismiss Goswami.
India women need 44 off 54 balls in Scarborough with 4 wickets left #EngWomen
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) August 23, 2014
4.56pm - India need 45 from the final 10 overs. England are going to need wickets. This stand between Harmanpreet Kaur and Goswami has so far added 32 runs in 33 balls.
4.44pm - CHANCE! Hazell drops a return catch now. Jhulan Goswami thumped that straight back to the spinner, who did well just to get both hands on it. The ball was hit with such power it forced its way out of Hazell's hands. Will England be made to pay for these drops?
Hazell is made to pay later in the over as Goswami slog-sweeps the first six of the day.
4.33pm - Vanitha c Taylor b Shrubsole 23; Ind 138/5 - Edwards is rewarded for bringing back her strike bowler just before the powerplay. Sarah Taylor holds onto a sharp catch standing up as Vanitha slashes outside off stump. That partnership was just threatening to take the game away from England. India need 77 from 93 balls.
4.21pm - CHANCE! It's not been the most impressive fieding display from England and Gunn has just put down another opportunity. It was a tough one, though, as Vellaswamy Vanitha cracked a drive off Knight that Gunn went at with one hand at mid-on. India are starting to be more agressive and make their move. This is a key period.
Hundred up for the India women chasing #EngWomen 's 214. Watch live - http://t.co/QHZXrot826 pic.twitter.com/CeloH4yjY0
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) August 23, 2014
4.07pm - WICKET! Mithali lbw Knight 30; Ind 97/4 - Heather Knight strikes with her first ball after being brought into the attack. She gets one to straighten and hit Mithali's front pad. It's a big wicket and, after her three scalps in the first game, Knight is turning herself into a handy spinner.
3.57pm - Mithali survives after getting a top edge and India go to the halfway point at 89 for three.
3.41pm - India are 72 for three after 20 overs. The match is evenly posied with the away skipper Mithali Raj, who is unbeaten on 16, potentially holding the key to this match.
3.30pm - WICKET! Mandhana c Greenway b Gunn 32; Ind 64/3 - That's a big wicket for England as the half-centurion from the first game falls. She slices a drive that Lydia Greenway this time holds onto at backward point.
3.15pm - WICKET! Jain lbw Gunn 1; Ind 43/2 - Jenny Gunn grabs her first wicket as Karuna Jain swishes across the line. The ball thuds into her back leg and she is plumb in front. No doubt about that one.
3.06pm - WICKET! Raut c&b Cross 11; Ind 39/1 - Raut had been living dangerously and finally she succumbs, spooning a return catch to Kate Cross.
3pm - Frustration for Shrubsole as she repeateldy beats the bat of Poonam Raut, yet still eight comes from the over. India are 31 for none after eight overs.
2.46pm - England have kept things tight since that opening over. India are 14 without loss from five overs.
2.31pm - Smriti Mandhana takes seven from the first over, bowled by Anya Shrubsole, highlighted by an elegant straight drive for four. The teenage India opener has picked up where she left off on Thursday.
2.28pm - Danni Hazell has taken her place out on the field for the India innings which is good news.
England Innings
1.41pm - END OF INNINGS! England 214/9; Edwards 108 Cross 4 - The skipper bats through the innings to ensure a testing total for India to chase down if they are to remain alive in the series. The tourists chipped away with Gayakwad claiming 4-42 while Goswami, who was at one stage on a hat-trick, took 3-30.
The pitch did start to show signs of wearing as the innings went on so the spinners could be a factor. England will therefore sweat on the fitness of Hazell who suffered a leg injury during her innings.
. @Lottie2323 9th ODI 100 is the most in women's international cricket
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) August 23, 2014
1.35pm - CENTURY! Edwards (139 balls 11x4 0x6) - Edwards cuts to the point boundary to bring up her ninth ODI century and her first against India. She has not had the support she might have liked but this may be an innings to win the series.
1.34pm - WICKET! Shrubsole c Jain b Gayakwad 4; 201/9 - Is Edwards going to be left high and dry just one shirt of a century? Anya Shrusole is caught behind cuting at the spinner who now has four wickets.
Lottie you absolute freak! No excuse not to do the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge now either!!! #getthaticeoveryou #runmachine @Lottie2323
— Danielle Wyatt (@Danni_Wyatt) August 23, 2014
1.30pm - WICKET! Hazell c Bisht b Pandey 6; Eng 195/8 - Danni Hazell is caught trying to hit out and, perhaps even more importantly, hobbles off after seemingly pulling a hamstring earlier in her innings. Her spin bowling could be important on this slow surface later so England won't want to lose her.
At Scarborough England 179/7 in 45th over. Gunn out for 6. @Lottie2323 is 87 not out. Commentary @BBC5LSX
— BBC TMS (@bbctms) August 23, 2014
1.19pm - WICKET! Gunn b Goswami 6; Eng 179/6 - Jenny Gunn cops an absolute cracker of a ball that just leaves her and take the outside half of off stump. That's a third wicket for Goswami and India keep chipping away to deny Edwards support from the other end. Goswami finishes with figures of 10-1-30-3.
1.13pm - WICKET! Sciver c Raut b Gayakwad 17; Eng 169/6 - Sciver has been trying to do the bulk of the risk taking and she pays for it with a mis-timed stroke that Poonam Raut does well to catch diving forward after running in from deep mid-off.
1.09pm - CHANCE! Edwards gets a life on 80 with wicketkeeper Karu Jain putting down the chance. Edwards top-edges an attempted paddle-sweep and the ball loops up just over Jain who, despite having to turn around, should probably have held on.
1pm - England end the powerplay on 150 for five. They recovered well after those two wickets from consecutive balls. In the end they took 26 for two from the five overs with Edwards now starting to free her arms. She's on 75.
And @natsciver survives the hat-trick ball, working it away for 1 into the leg side, #EngWomen 126-5
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) August 23, 2014
12.45pm - WICKET! Beaumont lbw Goswami 0; Eng 125/5 - Goswami is on a hat-trick! Tammy Beaumont also falls lbw and India are clawing their way back.
12.43pm - WICKET! Greenway lbw Goswami 8; Eng 125/4 - Lydia Greenway steps across her stumps and is trapped in front from the third ball of the powerplay.
12.40pm - England take the batting powerplay at the latest opportunity with the score 124 for three.
12.31pm - WICKET! Winfield st Jain b Gayakwad 10; Eng 112/3 - Winfield races down the wicket and is beaten by turn away from her as attempts a big swipe.
. @Lottie2323 's 44th ODI fifty for #EngWomen . Watch live - http://t.co/QHZXrot826 pic.twitter.com/ZDVjA9LVvo
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) August 23, 2014
12.28pm - FIFTY! Edwards (93 balls 5x4 0x6) - Edwards brings up her 44th ODI half-century by flicking Harmanpreet Kaur to fine-leg for a couple. She has had to work hard on a slowish surface - this is the same pitch that was used two days ago - but the veteran has set the platform.
12.25pm - England are 104 for two after 30 overs with Edwards two runs away from yet another half-century.
12.10pm - Edwards is starting to lift the tempo now. She makes Pandey pay for offering too much width by slapping her to the point rope. England are 89 for two at the half-way stage, with Edwards on 40 from 73 balls, and the players are now having a drink.
11.58am - WICKET! Taylor b Gayakwad 23; 76/2 - What a bizarre dismissal. Taylor gets down on a knee to sweep the spinner, but the ball hits the toe-end of the bat and loops slowly over her head and into the off stump. The off bail then reluctantly falls to the turf.
11.46am - Niranjana is switched to the Trafalgar Square End and her first ball is crunched through the covers for four by Sarah Taylor. That's the shot of the morning.
. @Lottie2323 nudges a single against India women at Scarborough CC to bring up her 5,500th ODI run #EngWomen 32-1 in the 14th over
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) August 23, 2014
11.18am - WICKET! Knight run out (Pandey) 13; Eng 26/1 - Knight takes a risk with a quick single to mid-on and is run out by some distance by Shikha Pandey's direct-hit. The pressure told in the fact Knight felt the need to take that single. She departs for 13 from 37 balls.
11.15am - After the 10-over powerplay England are 26 for none. It has been hard going with India duo Goswami and Niranjana Nagarajan holding the tighest of lines.
11am - Edwards is left in some discomfort as a Goswami delivery raps her on the glove. While the skipper was wringing away the pain Knight raced up the wicket. She had to turn around and was relieved to see Goswami's throw narrowly miss at the non-striker's end. England are 21 for none after seven overs.
10.53am - Knight leans on a push through the off side that races away to the rope. England are 13 without loss after five overs.
10.44am - Edwards strikes the first boundary of the day before Heather Knight gets off the mark, from her sixth delivery, by running the ball down to third man.
10.35am - Jhulan Goswami's opening over costs two with Charlotte Edwards dabbing away the only run off the bat from the final ball to retain the strike.
Pre-Play News
10.23am - India skipper Mithali Raj correctly calls heads and has elected to bowl first with a little bit of cloud about.
10.20am - England have made one change from the series opener with Kate Cross called in for Katherine Brunt. Skipper Charlotte Edwards has revealed that switch has been made to manage Brunt's workload after her recent return from an injury sustained in the Ashes Test at Perth in January .
10am - Welcome to our live coverage of England Women's second Royal London one-day international aganist India. The weather is set fair in Scarborough - after a cold, wet and breezy day to start the series on Thursday.
England can wrap up the series today with victory after they secured a 42-run Duckworth-Lewis Method victory in the opener.
#EngWomen take on India in the 2nd RL ODI at Scarborough CC today @Lottie2323 & co are ready and raring to go pic.twitter.com/GdMnpRNcfz
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) August 23, 2014