Two debutants, two excellent Test innings, but Sophia Dunkley said her unbeaten half-century was more about putting England in good shape on the second day of their match against India.
Dunkley, the 1st black woman to play Test cricket for England, remained unbeaten on 74 when captain Heather Knight declared her team's 1st innings at 396 for 9. But her composition innings went beyond that of 17-year-old Shafali Verma. The India opener, whose 96 runs a 167-run stand with Smriti Mandhana, threatened to put an end to the hosts' impressive total.
It was then that 5 wickets fell for 16 runs in the final hour of the day, leaving India still 209 & England far behind.
"It's a very exciting day for me," Dunkley said. "[I was] just trying to put the team in a good position. Getting a fifty was very special & it was nice to have a mother in the crowd.
"Today has definitely been a crazy day, scoring a half-century on debut is definitely very special for me, & then going into the fielding innings, [Smriti] Mandhana & Verma formed a good partnership & gave us a few chances at times But things did not really go our way.
"Then we got success & 5 wickets fell & [it] was really exciting to go into the evening as well as have a lot of momentum to go into the morning."
Dunkley had resumed on 12 &, after falling to Katherine Brunt on the 12th ball of the day, he shared a 56-run stand for the eighth wicket with Sophie Ecclestone. He also added 70 runs with Anya Shrubsole, whose 33-ball 47 inspired England post-lunch.
Dunkley reversed an LBW decision that got him out for 46, when his review showed that Sneh Rana's delivery was missing a leg stump, & he warmed Rana from the stands through fine leg. After a thunderous applause, he scored 2 runs & completed his half-century.
"I was just thinking about getting the team in a good place," said Dunkley. "It was all a bit hazy. I was very, very happy but my main objective was to try & get us in a good position to go in the afternoon, but getting fifty on the way is a very special moment for me & I will remember this day for a long time."
Dunkley played 10 T20 Internationals for England in 2018-19, but spent the next 18 months in the throes of selection in what looked like an impregnable top six.
But after impressing during some intra-squad 50-over warm-up matches last summer & the 1st edition of the Rachael Heahoe Flint Trophy, he returned for the last 2 matches of England's T20I series against the West Indies.
She was part of England's T20 squad that toured New Zealand earlier this year, & after scoring an unbeaten 104, 0 & 92 in this year's Rachael Heahoe Flint Trophy, Knight said that Dunkley was left out of the Test squad. He had made himself "impossible" to get out. .
One can also appreciate the exploits of Dunkley Verma, who posted the highest score by an Indian woman on Test debut, hitting 13 fours & 2 sixes, as well as recognizing her power game with the maturity to adapt to the pace of Test cricket. Shown.
"He played some good shots & played really well," Dunkley said. "We just worked hard & just stood there and just believed that an opportunity would come.
"We had some early chances but just kept fighting & being ruthless & it came and I think that helped us reach the end of the day."