[Mike Turner/SPP]

THE historic moment turned out to be a lot sweeter than the actual match for England after they suffered a 270-run thrashing against India in the first women’s Test to ever be played at Lord’s.

The one-off fixture at the iconic ground in St John’s Wood broke the world record attendance figure, attracting a crowd of 37,846 across three-and-a-bit days.

Supporters witnessed Yastika Bhatia (pictured) etch her name into the sport’s history books by becoming the first woman to score a Test century at Lord’s – the dominant batter hitting 113 runs off 158 deliveries in a mighty knock that included no fewer than 14 fours.

It helped India to reach 341-7 before declaring in their second innings, adding to the 285 they scored in their first innings.

In reply, England could only manage 170 and then 186 runs as they were outfought and outclassed by the visitors.

There were plenty of highlights for the home side, most notably Sophie Ecclestone becoming the first England women’s player to get on the Test honours board at Lord’s courtesy of her second-innings five-for.

Ecclestone performed just as confidently with the bat, as she survived a couple of drop-scares, and successfully overturned an lbw dismissal, to hit her maiden international 50.

The Test also marked the end for former England captain Heather Knight and opening batter Tammy Beaumont, who have both announced their retirement from international cricket.