On the same day that Sachin Tendulkar was pillaging his second one-day century of the NatWest series, another, less-feted, group of Indian cricketers were turning in their second underwhelming performance in two days. India's women cricketers must have thought things could only better after they had been skittled for 59 by England on Wednesday. One day later, however, and they had plumbed even greater depths in their tri-series tournament in Jersey, this time against the world champions, New Zealand. Despite restricting the Kiwis to 168 for 9 in their 50 overs, with medium-pacer Jhulan Goswami taking 3 for 45, India were scythed down for a mere 26, in 19.1 overs.

It could have been even worse. New Zealand's Rachel Pullar, bowling with unsettling pace and bounce, scalped five wickets in seven overs to reduce India to 10 for 8, and only some welcome resistance from the tail enabled India to crawl past the previous-lowest score in a women's one-day international (23, by Pakistan against Australia at Melbourne, 1996-97).

Jhulan, batting at No.9, top-scored with 6 not out from 29 balls, while Pullar finished with 5 for 10. India's top eight contributed four ducks, three ones and a two, as they crept to a 142-run defeat and bottom place at the halfway point of the tournament. The teams now fly to Durham for two more group matches, followed by the final on July 20.

Speaking in an interview in June's edition of Wisden Asia Cricket, India's captain Anjum Chopra bemoaned the lack of recognition afforded to women's cricket. After today's debacle, which incidentally equals the lowest-ever score in Test cricket (New Zealand v England at Auckland 1954-55) she may be quietly relieved by her team's low profile.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd