Deepti fights like a Warrior, but Mooney’s Giants win the battle

Her unbeaten 88 nearly takes the UP outfit home after Shabnam rattles the toporder; Gujarat skipper shines with the bat

There was a moment when Sophie Ecclestone had a frightened look on her face anticipating a dropped catch while UP Warriorz was on the field. That expression described life in the Warriorz dugout in the crunch match against Gujarat Giants which ended in the latter’s favour in the Women’s Premier League at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday.

The reason Warriorz lost only by eight runs was the superhuman effort from Deepti Sharma (88 n.o., 60b, 9x4, 4x6) which sparked the game back to life and stretched it to a thrilling finalover finish, the fourth in as many games this season.

Chasing a target of 153, Alyssa Healy got off the mark punishing Shabnam Shakil’s volley for four through backward point. Minutes later, the Aussie was distracted by one of the drummers in a bright yellow shirt running across the sightscreen. The lapse in concentration led to Healy holing out to Mannat Kashyap at midoff. Shabnam removed the dangerous Chamari Athapaththu three deliveries later. Ashleigh Gardner sent back compatriot Grace Harris before Shabnam castled Shweta Sehrawat.

Deepti operated on a different plane. After taking time to settle down, she increased the tempo and added 109 with Poonam Khemnar. With 26 needed off the final over and a wayward Meghna Singh given the ball, two sixes from Deepti over longon brought the equation down to 10 off two. Meghna held her nerve to seal a win that kept Giants alive.

Earlier, Beth Mooney’s unbeaten 74 (52b, 10x4, 1x6) helped Giants finish with 152 which proved enough.

Deepti’s superhuman effort almost turned it around for Warriorz.

GUJARAT GIANTS

Laura Wolvaardt st. Healy b Ecclestone 43 (30b, 8x4, 1x6), Beth Mooney (not out) 74 (52b, 10x4, 1x6), D. Hemalatha c Healy b Athapaththu 0 (2b), Phoebe Litchfield c Ecclestone b Deepti 4 (8b), Ashleigh Gardner c Deepti b Rajeshwari 15 (10b, 1x4, 1x6),

Bharti Fulmali c Healy b Deepti 1 (4b), Kathryn Bryce c Athapaththu b Ecclestone 11 (11b, 2x4), Tanuja Kanwar b Ecclestone 1 (3b),

Shabnam Shakil run out 0 (0b),

Meghna Singh (not out) 0 (0b);

Extras (w3): 3; Total (for eight wkts. in 20 overs): 152.

FALL OF WICKETS

160 (Wolvaardt, 7.5 overs), 265 (Hemalatha, 8.3), 373 (Litchfield, 10.5), 4102 (Gardner, 13.6), 5105 (Bharti, 14.6), 6118 (Bryce, 17.2), 7120 (Tanuja, 17.6), 8144 (Shabnam, 19.4).

WARRIORZ BOWLING

Athapaththu 40251, Saima 20190, Anjali 10110, Harris 1090, Rajeshwari 40281, Deepti 40222, Ecclestone 40383.

UP WARRIORZ

Alyssa Healy c Mannat b Shabnam 4 (3b, 1x4), Kiran Navgire c Mannat b Bryce 0 (2b), Chamari Athapaththu c Gardner b

Shabnam 0 (3b), Deepti Sharma (not out) 88 (60b, 9x4, 4x6), Grace Harris c Bharti b Gardner 1 (7b),

Shweta Sehrawat b Shabnam 8

(9b, 2x4), Poonam Khemnar (not out) 36 (36b, 3x4, 1x6); Extras (b5, w2): 7; Total (for five wkts. in 20 overs): 144.

FALL OF WICKETS

14 (Healy, 0.3), 24 (Athapaththu, 0.6), 34 (Kiran, 1.2), 416 (Harris, 3.4), 535 (Shweta, 6.6).

GIANTS BOWLING

Shabnam 40113, Bryce 30261, Gardner 30301, Tanuja 40280, Mannat 30210, Meghna 30230.

Toss: Giants.

PoM: Shabnam.

Giants won by eight runs.

Tuesday’s match: Mumbai Indians vs. Royal Challengers, 7.30 p.m.

R.V. MOORTHY Sensational: