Women's Cricket: England beat Sri Lanka by 8 wickets in 1st ODI

England beat Sri Lanka by 8 wickets in the first Women's ODI of the four-match series played at the SSC ground in Colombo today (9).

Electing to bat first Sri Lanka posted 168-7 in 50 overs with wicketkeeper/batter Dilani Manodara top scoring 27. 

England raced to victory losing just two wickets as they reached 171 runs with four of their batters coming out with impressive knocks. 

Opener Lauren Winfield hit a 41-ball 33 with six fours while her partner Tammy Beaumont faced 49 balls to hit 41 runs inclusive of seven boundaries. 

Skipper Heather Knight and Natalie Sciver remained unbeaten at crease when England reached the winning target with 21.3 overs remaining.

Knight was 45 not out off 47 balls with four boundaries and Sciver hit an entertaining knock of 47 not out off 40 balls with seven fours. 

Sri Lanka will host England in four Women's ODI's from November 9 to 18 in Colombo.

The second Women's ODI will be played at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Saturday (12).

Sri Lanka 168 for 7 wickets (50) (Hasini Perera 26, Nipuni Hansika 26, Chamari Atapattu 24, Chamari Polgampola 17, Dilani Manodara 27, Prasadani Weerakkody 24, Ama Kanchana 7n.o, Hansima Karunaratne 10, Heather Knight 2/29, Katherine Brunt 2/35, Beth Langston 1/23, Danielle Hazell 1/27, Alex Hartley 1/39)
Did not bat: Inoka Ranaweera (Capt), Nilakshi de Silva, Oshadi Ranasinghe

England 171 for 2 wickets (29.3) (Tammy Beaumont 41, Lauren Winfield 33, Heather Knight 45n.o, Natalie Sciver 47n.o, Chamari Atapattu 1/23, Inoka Ranaweera 1/42)
Did not bat: Katherine Brunt, Alex Hartley, Danielle Hazell, Amy Jones (wk), Beth Langston, Fran Wilson, Georgea Elwiss.