Sophie Ecclestone stole the limelight as UP Warriors beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the first-ever Super Over clash in the Women’s Premier League (WPL). On Monday, February 24, the Warriorz snatched victory from the jaws of defeat at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. RCB haven’t had the best of times while playing in front of their home crowd, first losing to the Mumbai Indians and then to the Warriorz.
Ecclestone not only showed why she is the No.1 ranked bowler in Women’s T20Is, but also gave an account of her incredible batting skills. With the Warriorz needing 18 runs off the last over in the Warriorz’ run-chase, Ecclestone smashed Renuka Singh for back-to-back sixes followed by a four to force a Super Over.
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With a run needed off the last ball, Richa Ghosh ran Kranti Goud out to make sure that RCB got another shot in the one-over Eliminator. But yet again, Ecclestone stepped up for the Warriorz. Kim Garth bowled with a lot of precision to power-hitters Grace Harris and Chinelle Henry, giving away only eight runs.
Thereafter, Ecclestone gave away only four runs as the Warriorz finished on the winning side after the humdinger. Despite back-to-back losses, RCB stayed at the top of the table while the Warriorz have moved to third in the table from once being at the bottom after their first two games.
Ellyse Perry’s valiant efforts in vain
Earlier after being asked to bat first, RCB put up a big score of 180 for the loss of six wickets. Ellyse Perry racked up the highest score by an RCB batter in the history of the WPL, scoring 90 runs off 56 balls with the help of nine fours and three sixes. After coming to bat in the fourth over following Smriti Mandhana’s dismissal, Perry stayed until the very end.
Perry got an able partner in Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who made 57 runs off 41 balls with the help of four fours and three sixes. Barring them, none of the batters entered double digits. Henry, Deepti Sharma and Tahlia McGrath picked up one wicket apiece.
In the run-chase, the Warriorz kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Deepti chipped in with a quick-fire 25 off 13 balls while Kiran Navgire threw her bat around for a 12-ball, but the Warriorz were always behind the 8-ball in their run-chase. Shweta Sehrawat kept the scoreboard ticking with a 31-ball knock.
But with 42 runs needed off 18 balls, it was Ecclestone, who stepped up. The right-handed batter scored 33 runs off 19 balls with one four and four sixes after which she stepped up in the Super Over.
