Nat Sciver-Brunt vs the world as century lifts England to respectable total

It was Nat Sciver-Brunt vs the world, and not for the first time, as her 10th WODI hundred lifted England to 253 for 9 in Colombo, after Sri Lanka's spin-heavy attack had chipped away to keep the innings - and Sciver-Brunt - in check for large stretches.

Like had happened against India, it was the final two overs which did the damage, as England struck 28 runs in that patch to boost their total past the 250-mark. Sciver-Brunt fell off the penultimate delivery of the innings for a run-a-ball 117, following an innings which had proved pivotal in ensuring England a competitive total.

Aside from Sciver-Brunt, Tammy Beaumont was the next highest scorer with 32, while Heather Knight chipped in with 29. A few others reached double digits as well, but the Sri Lankan attack had done well for the most part to deprive England of the platform they were searching for.

Inoka Ranaweera was once again the star performer, ending with figures of 3 for 33 - including a double-wicket maiden that threatened to derail the English innings. Ranaweera also picked up the wicket of Knight to break up the innings' most promising stand, while Sugandika Dasanayake and Udeshika Prabodani picked up two wickets apiece despite going for runs.

In the build up to the game Sri Lanka had spoken about the importance of improving their batting, as well as their fielding. While the latter remains to be seen, their fielding performance was definitely left wanting. A host of misfields littered the innings, though perhaps the defining moment occurred in the 14th over.

Sciver-Brunt was on three at the time, when she whipped one from Ranaweera hard and straight to Prabodani at midwicket, who just couldn't hold on. It was the only drop of the innings, but has cost Sri Lanka north of 100 runs.

England had started strong, going at around five an over in the opening powerplay, thanks to Beaumont, but an ill-advised single saw the back of Amy Jones before Beaumont sliced one high to point.

From that point on though Sciver-Brunt was the common denominator as England strung together a spate of partnerships through the middle overs.

The highest was 60 from 73 between Sciver-Brunt and Knight, a stand that had threatened to take the game away from Sri Lanka as the pair worked the field expertly, utilising deft sweeps and dabs, allied with calculated risks over the infield.

The partnership was broken against the run of play as Knight gloved a reverse-sweep to slip. It was given not out on the field, but keeper Anushka Sanjeewani petitioned heavily for the review to be taken - and it was eventually, with just two seconds on the clock.

That wasn't Sanjeewani's only intervention, as she also effected two sharp stumpings and helped complete a run out, in what was a consummate day out.

What shifted the momentum of the innings though was Ranaweera's jarring intervention in the 35th over. Emma Lamb was first bowled around her legs, before a sharp bit of glove work from Sanjeewani saw Alice Capsey short of her crease after she had been deceived in the flight.

Suddenly from 141 for 3 in the 31st over, England found themselves 168 for 6 a little over three overs later.

Prior to this England had been eyeing up a total in excess of 270 but just as they had been looking to accelerate, they had to hold back. It meant that between the 40th and 48th over just two boundaries were struck, as England and Sciver-Brunt prioritised inching the total up to decent territory, if not imposing.

The first real show of intent at the death came in the penultimate over, when Sciver-Brunt struck a sumptuous inside-out six over extra cover - to bring up her 10th WODI century - and followed it up with another loft down the ground.

The final two overs brought more runs, but Sri Lanka had done enough to keep the target within reach.