Nat Sciver-Brunt defends England after wife Katherine questions attitude

England Women have been forced to defend their attitude in the wake of a 2-1 ODI series defeat to India, after former fast bowler Katherine Sciver-Brunt questioned their desire and discipline.

England lost the third and final ODI by 13 runs at Chester-le-street on Tuesday, after India amassed 318 for 5 off the back of captain Harmanpreet Kaur's century. The hosts lurched to 8 for 2 amid Kranti Goud's six-wicket haul, which helped bowl them out for 305 with one ball left.

Sciver-Brunt, wife of England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, called on the hosts to show more fight.

"It's hard for me to understand some people sometimes, and their attitudes, because to me it looks lazy and like they don't care," Katherine told BBC Test Match Special. "Are they actually feeling like that? Or do you actually care a lot and that is your way of showing it? I struggled a lot with that.

"It came across to me as bad attitude and no discipline. That is definitely not what I'm seeing from everyone but at times there are examples."

Scrappiness in the field remains an issue for England, who bowed out of the T20 World Cup last October amid a woeful fielding performance against West Indies and, apart from Sophie Ecclestone's 1 for 28 from 10 overs, their bowlers all conceded more than 60 runs from their 10-over allocations for one wicket each in their latest match.

Were it not for Nat's 162-run partnership with Emma Lamb, chasing what would have been a world-record target, England's margin of defeat would have been much heavier.

"When the pressure gets to them they go external and what comes out is not good cricket," Katherine continued. "They are being crippled inside and suddenly they are not switched on or they suddenly don't want the ball because they are scared to fail.

"A lot of versions like me have left the team, and a lot of different versions have come into the team. Nat is captain now and she's the polar opposite to me, she's very quiet, inside and patient. She is everything I am not. You know how I feel but you wouldn't know how Nat is feeling.

"I wouldn't say that nobody in this team wants it, they all want it and to do their best. There is a lot of timid people and not many front-footed people who are willing to do anything.

"I don't think everyone is doing everything they possibly can. And the key to that question is why? I don't think there is anything malicious in that, it is a mental thing. We just need to be stronger internally and be more outwards with our fight."

Asked about the comments in her post-match press conference, Nat, who scored 98 off 105 balls to give England a fighting chance in the match, said her team were trying their best.

"I've actually been put in that situation before when I was a lot younger - 'she's so relaxed, she doesn't look like she's that interested' - but on the inside that's not what's true," she said.

"I guess from the outside people might look in certain ways, but you never know what's going on inside. I know everyone on that pitch is committed to doing the best they can for England."

Charlotte Edwards, England Women's head coach, added: "I couldn't be happier with where the squad's at at the moment, in terms of their attitude and effort and professionalism they've shown. That was something that I made very clear when I came into this role and I couldn't be happier."

The comments came on day that the increased scrutiny on England's women's team was laid bare, first when Ecclestone addressed her off-field dispute with former England spin bowler turned broadcaster Alex Hartley.

In a pre-match interview aired on Sky Sports shortly before the start of play, Ecclestone suggested she had not spoken to Hartley for a TV interview during England's 16-0 points defeat in the Ashes in January, because she wanted to focus on her warm-up.

At the time, Hartley had said Ecclestone had refused to be interviewed by her and that she had been "given the cold shoulder" by England players since criticising their fitness following their T20 World Cup exit.

After the Ashes, Clare Connor, managing director of England women's cricket, described the incident as "unfortunate", vowing that it wouldn't happen again.

"Our players in general… embrace their media obligations," Connor said. "As professional women's cricket has developed at the rate that it has over recent years, that scrutiny is something that we will all have to embrace and accept."

With the World Cup starting in India in 10 weeks' time, England can be sure that the spotlight will only intensify.