England Women started their tour of India with a routine 45-run victory against India A at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.
The uncapped Bryony Smith – on her first trip with the senior team – got just the start she wanted in an England kit, making a sprightly 50 that included nine fours.
Her fifty was the first of three in England’s total of 176/4, with Tammy Beaumont top-scoring with an unbeaten 57 and Heather Knight also reaching the landmark – from just 24 balls.
India A made 131 in reply, never really threatening to chase down the total but providing a useful test in the Mumbai heat.
There were two wickets apiece for Tash Farrant, Anya Shrubsole and Nat Sciver.
It was a hugely encouraging start with the bat for Smith, who had been tasked with attacking from the off and utilising the powerplay.
Particularly strong through the off-side, she kept the runs ticking over and combined well with first Danni Wyatt and then Beaumont.
Beaumont, in a new role at No.3, kept Smith company before Knight came to the crease and upped the ante in the closing overs to find the boundary with regularity and help set an imposing total.
Defending 176 England got the perfect start with the ball in hand when Shrubsole removed Sabbhineni Meghana’s middle stump in the first over.
Left-armer Farrant opened up from the other end but it was Sophie Ecclestone who got wicket number two, Harleen Deol clipping to Nat Sciver at midwicket.
Two became three and then four as Farrant took two wickets in an over – Vellaswamy Vanitha caught at mid-off and Tarannumbanu Pathan well caught by Amy Jones stood up to the stumps.
The fifth wicket was all down to the hard work of Danni Wyatt in the deep. Unable to hold on a difficult catch running in from the leg-side boundary, she adjusted quickly to fire her throw in and run out Sheral Rozario.
Despite losing wickets India A kept trying to find the boundary and they did provide some resistance for the sixth wicket.
Shrubsole returned to take her second before Sciver nipped in to take two, Dani Hazell bagged her first and a run-out rounded things off to see England to a win.
It was a very useful exercise for England, and coach Mark Robinson will have been delighted that Smith grabbed her opportunity to impress at the top of the order.
England will face the same side at the same ground tomorrow, before the Tri-Series gets underway on Friday with a game against Australia.
England squad
Heather Knight (Berkshire, captain)
Tammy Beaumont (Kent)
Kate Cross (Lancashire)
Alice Davidson-Richards (Kent)
Sophie Ecclestone (Lancashire)
Tash Farrant (Kent)
Katie George (Hampshire)
Jenny Gunn (Warwickshire)
Alex Hartley (Lancashire)
Danielle Hazell (Yorkshire)
Amy Jones (Warwickshire, wicketkeeper)
Anya Shrubsole (Somerset)
Bryony Smith (Surrey)
Nat Sciver (Surrey)
Fran Wilson (Middlesex)
Danni Wyatt (Sussex)
Schedule
22 March – 1st IT20: India v Australia, Mumbai
23 March – 2nd IT20: Australia v England, Mumbai
25 March – 3rd IT20: India v England, Mumbai
26 March – 4th IT20: India v Australia, Mumbai
28 March – 5th IT20: Australia v England, Mumbai
29 March – 6th IT20: India v England, Mumbai
31 March – Final: Mumbai
6 April – 1st ODI: India v England Nagpur
9 April – 2nd ODI: India v England, Nagpur
12 April – 3rd ODI: India v England, Nagpur