Sciver-Brunt, Ecclestone power England to summit of Women's World Cup

COLOMBO:England stamped their authority on the Women's World Cup with a commanding 89-run win over Sri Lanka in Colombo on Saturday, powered by a classy hundred from Nat Sciver-Brunt and a masterly spell of spin from Sophie Ecclestone.

Put in to bat, England wobbled early but Sciver-Brunt soaked up the pressure well and anchored the innings with a chanceless century to steer her side to a strong 253-9.

Sri Lanka, in reply, were never in the hunt and folded tamely for 164 as Ecclestone spun a web around their batters.

Dropped on three, England skipper Sciver-Brunt made the hosts pay a heavy price.

After a watchful start, she shifted gears during the death overs, unleashing a flurry of strokes.

Her run-a-ball 117, laced with nine fours and two sixes, was a commanding innings. The shot that brought up her 10th ODI hundred, a majestic loft over extra cover off Sugandika Kumari, was her best of the day.

"I was just trying to build a partnership with the hope of accelerating later. It's important to have a set batter at the back end of the innings. Very happy with the hundred, first one as captain as well," Sciver-Brunt said.

Her innings ended off the penultimate ball, when she miscued Udeshika Prabodhani to long-on, but the damage had long been done.

Sri Lanka's chase flickered briefly with a 58-run stand between Harshitha Samarawickrama and Hasini Perera, but from 95-1 they crumbled like a deck of cards.

Captain Chamari Athapaththu's injury only added salt to the wound. Stretchered off with cramps, she returned bravely but could muster only 15 before Ecclestone breached her defence.

Ecclestone, the world's top ranked ODI bowler, was in her element on the turning surface, flighting the ball teasingly, leaving the cover region vacant and luring batters into fatal drives.

She conceded just 17 runs in her 10 overs, three of which were maidens and into the bargain accounted for four wickets.

England, the four-time world champions, have now won all three of their games in the eight-nation event and sit pretty atop the table.

They remain in Colombo to face Pakistan next week before heading to India for the final leg of the league stage.

Sri Lanka have a quick turnaround as they play New Zealand on Tuesday in Colombo.

"We bowled well overall I thought. We dropped their captain early and she scored a hundred. That was the difference. Catches win matches. We need to improve a lot with our catching," said Athapaththu.