Sophie Ecclestone and Amy Jones led the way with ball and bat as England won a rain-affected second women’s ODI at Lord’s to level their three-match series with India.

Ecclestone took 3-27 to help restrict India to 143-8 in a match originally reduced to 29 overs a side after heavy rain and a damp outfield had delayed play by four hours.

In reply, England reached their revised target of 115 in 24 overs with 18 balls to spare as Jones’ unbeaten 46 off 57 balls steered them to 116-2. Tammy Beaumont’s 34 off 35 had helped the hosts get off to a perfect start in a 54-run partnership for the first wicket, while captain Nat Sciver-Brunt made 21.

The victory saw England bounce back from a four-wicket defeat in the first ODI at Southampton on Wednesday.

After prospects of any play had looked slim at the start of the day, rain eventually cleared to allow a crowd of more than 13,000 to see if England could set up a series decider with a win.

England captain Sciver-Brunt won the toss and had no hesitation in bowling first under still grey skies as the hosts made three changes from the side that lost at Southampton.

Second ODI summary – England win by eight wickets (DLS method)

India 143-8 in 29 overs: Smriti Mandhana (42 off 51), Deepti Sharma (30 off 34); Sophie Ecclestone (3-27) Em Arlott (2-26)

England 115-2 in 21 overs: Amy Jones (46 off 57), Tammy Beaumont (34 off 35), Nat Sciver-Brunt (21 off 25)

Spin puts the squeeze on India

That meant a spin trio of Ecclestone, Charlie Dean and Linsey Smith who put the brakes on India’s run-scoring after Lauren Bell and Em Arlott made a strong start with the new ball.

England took wickets at regular intervals, including Arlott removing opener Pratika Rawal (3) in her first over, as India struggled to build partnerships.

Ecclestone made a breakthrough with just her second ball when introduced from the Nursery End to take an impressive return catch off Harleen Deol (16). In her next over, she bowled India captain Harmanpreet Kaur (7) with one that skidded on to the right-hander.

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Watch Sophie Ecclestone take 3-27 from her six overs in the second ODI against India

Dean then got in on the act with a smart caught and bowled of her own to dismiss Jemimah Rodrigues (3) before Ecclestone claimed her third wicket, wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh (2), to reduce India to 72-5.

Their lower-order also struggled to find rhythm and timing despite Deepti Sharma’s unbeaten 30 as Smith (2-28) picked up the wickets of Smriti Mandhana (42 off 51) and Arundhati Reddy (14) from her five overs.

India’s eventual total of 143-8 from their 29 overs felt below par, as Arlott (2-26) also took two wickets.

Openers give England strong platform

In reply, England got off to a healthy start with a 54-run partnership for the first wicket between Beaumont and Jones.

In a relatively untroubled innings, Beaumont found herself at the centre of a bizarre incident when India appealed against her supposedly obstructing the field. They believed she had deliberately blocked the view of wicketkeeper Ghosh receiving a throw at the stumps as she returned to her crease.

After being reviewed by third umpire Jacqueline Williams, she was adjudged not out but was not so fortunate when reviewing a leg-before decision from on-field umpire Rob White as she eventually departed to Sneh Rana for 34.

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India called for a controversial use of DRS in their second women’s ODI against England where Tammy Beaumont may have obstructed the field

Sciver-Brunt joined Jones to build a healthy second-wicket partnership before another heavy shower brought the players off the field with England well set at 102-1 from 18.4 overs, just eight balls shy of the 20-over mark that would have constituted a result.

After a 20-minute delay, their target was revised to 115 in 24 overs and two balls into the resumption, Sciver-Brunt was bowled by a beauty from Kranti Goud and departed for 21.

But it proved just a temporary stop for the hosts as Sophia Dunkley struck the winning runs off Goud for just England’s second ODI victory at Lord’s in 15 years.

The win sets things up intriguingly for a series-decider in the third and final ODI at Durham on Tuesday which is live on Sky Sports, with coverage starting from 12.30pm on Sky Sports Cricket (first ball at 1pm).

Sciver-Brunt: ‘Bowlers worked it out’

England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt talking to Sky Sports:

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England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt reveals how England claimed victory after rain delays!

“I think the bowlers working out the conditions for themselves today and then coming to me with the fields they wanted was excellent.

“That communication between all of them was brilliant and I thought, on the whole, we bowled a really good length today and made it really diffifcult for their batters.

“We can’t fault everyone’s effort, it’s not nice to see catches go down but we’ll work on that going forward.

“Tammy and Amy negotiated the new-ball period and the pressure they were put under really well and it just set us up really nicely.

“Durham’s a great place to play cricket and we’re very excited to get out there on Tuesday for the final game in the series.”

On how the players coped with the rain delay: “Cricket’s a funny old game, isn’t it? But we try and pass the time as best we can and we know when we’re ready to play, we’re switched on. I thought we did that today.

“We had the (British and Irish Lions) rugby on in the dressing room.”

Harmanpreet: ‘We didn’t show up’

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur talking to Sky Sports:

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Following defeat to England in their second ODI, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur admits her side ‘made a lot of mistakes

“I think we didn’t bat well today. We could have batted better on this pitch but they bowled very well and they didn’t give us any chance to execute our batting. Credit to them.

“We weren’t able to show up.

“The toss was very important because of the overcast conditions. In bowling, we were not able to get early wickets. It wasn’t our day.

“We have to remember the next match, we have to go with a positive approach.”

Ecclestone shakes off pre-match nap to spin England to win

England spinner and player of the match Sophie Ecclestone talking to Sky Sports:

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England’s Sophie Ecclestone admits she was asleep ’10 minutes before the warm-up’ in the second ODI against India

“I was asleep for 10 minutes before the warm-up so it was great to get out there when the rain stopped and get the win on the board.

“I felt really good today. I feel like I’ve got a way of bowling here at Lord’s, where it skids on a bit more, and it’s great to be back playing.

“Keeping the stumps in play at all times worked for me today.”

England vs India schedule

All times UK and Ireland; all live on Sky Sports

T20 international series

One-day international series

  • First ODI (Southampton): India won by four wickets
  • Second ODI (Lord’s): England win by eight wickets (DLS method)
  • Third ODI: Tuesday July 22 (1pm) – Chester-le-Street

Watch the third women’s one-day international between England and India, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 12.30pm on Tuesday from 12.30pm (first ball, 1pm) or stream without a contract.