Bristol, June 19 (IANS) Indian women wiped off the deficit and took a six-run lead as they went into lunch at 171/3 in the second innings thanks to Deepti Sharma's gritty 168-ball 54 which ended just before the break on the fourth and final day of the one-off Test against England here.

Deepti added 72 runs for the third wicket with Punam Raut (39 batting) after Shafali Verma was dismissed early for 63. Left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone picked both the wickets to fall on the day.

England had, on Friday, asked India to follow on.

Brief scores (Day 4, lunch): England women 396/9 dec vs India women 231 and 171/3 (S Verma 63, D Sharma 54, P Raut batting 39, S Ecclestone 2/51).

--IANS

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