The Hindu (Thiruvananthapuram)
Ecclestone and Harris sizzle as Warriorz brush off Giants
The former spins a web around the Gujarat batters with a threewicket haul before the Australian’s unbeaten 60 takes the Uttar Pradesh side home with six wickets and 26 balls to spare
pin it to win it’ was the mantra for the UP Warriorz, led by Sophie Ecclestone (40203), before Grace Harris’ unbeaten fifty (60, 33b, 9x4, 2x6) powered it to a sixwicket win over Gujarat Giants in the Women’s Premier League game at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Friday.
Chasing 143, Harris added valuable runs with Chamari Athapaththu and Deepti Sharma, taking the Warriorz to the finish line with 26 balls to spare for its second consecutive win.
Earlier, spinners capitalised on a turning track to help the Warriorz restrict the Giants to 142 for five after choosing to bowl.
Laura Wolvaardt used Anjali Sarvani’s pace and exploited the short offside boundary, hitting her for three backtoback fours.
Skipper Beth Mooney, who had two poor performances with the bat, showed the right intent at the start. She stepped out to Rajeshwari Gayakwad and smashed a straight four.
She then welcomed Ecclestone with a boundary, executing a flawless reverse lap, as Giants got off to a brisk start.
But, as the openers looked to change gears, Ecclestone dismissed Mooney, who was caught by Harris at midoff.
Ecclestone picked up one more wicket, removing Wolvaardt in similar fashion. This time, it was Athapaththu who caught the South African at midoff.
Harris and Ecclestone bowled in tandem, choking the batters and stopping the boundary hits.
Alyssa Healy’s ploy to operate with the offspinners paid off, as the Giants could only manage 29 in six overs after scoring 33 in the first four.
Harleen Deol had another underwhelming outing, scoring 18 off 24 before holing out to Anjali off Rajeshwari’s bowling.
Ashleigh Gardner (30, 17b, 4x4, 1x6) provided the impetus, her 52run association with Phoebe Litchfield powering Giants close to the 150mark but it was never enough once Harris took charge.
GUJARAT GIANTS
Laura Wolvaardt c Athapaththu b Ecclestone 28 (26b, 4x4), Beth Mooney c Harris b Ecclestone 16
(16b, 2x4), Harleen Deol c Anjali b Rajeshwari 18 (24b, 1x4), Phoebe Litchfield run out 35 (26b, 4x4, 1x6), Ashleigh Gardner c Athapaththu b Ecclestone 30
(17b, 4x4, 1x6), D. Hemalatha (not out) 2 (4b), Kathryn Bryce (not out) 5 (7b); Extras (b4, lb4): 8; Total (for five wkts. in 20 overs): 142.
FALL OF WICKETS
140 (Mooney, 5.2 overs), 261 (Wolvaardt, 9.3), 383 (Harleen, 12.6), 4135 (Gardner, 18.1), 5135 (Litchfield, 18.3).
UP WARRIORZ BOWLING Athapaththu 40190, Anjali 10130, Rajeshwari 40331, Harris 30210, Ecclestone 40203, Deepti 40280.
UP WARRIORZ
Alyssa Healy b Bryce 33 (21b, 7x4), Kiran Navgire c Hemalatha b Tanuja 12 (8b, 2x4), Chamari Athapaththu c Wolvaardt b Tanuja 17 (11b, 4x4), Grace Harris (not out) 60 (33b, 9x4, 2x6), Shweta Sehrawat b Meghna 2 (7b), Deepti Sharma (not out) 17 (14b, 3x4); Extras (lb1, w1): 2; Total (for four wkts. in 15.4 overs): 143.
FALL OF WICKETS
142 (Kiran, 4.3), 250 (Healy, 5.2), 386 (Athapaththu, 8.5), 490 (Shweta, 10.4).
GIANTS BOWLING Meghna 41391, Bryce 20191, Gardner 30300, Tanuja 30232, Mannat 10140, Sneh 2.40170.
Toss: UP Warriorz.
UP Warriorz won by six wickets with 26 balls to spare.
Saturday’s match: RCB vs. MI, 7.30 p.m.