Warriorz pile on the misery for Gujarat

Bengaluru: UP Warriorz completed a six-wicket win over Gujarat Giants at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday, handing Beth Mooney’s team their third straight defeat in the WPL.

After opting to chase, UPW’s five-pronged spin attack functioned brilliantly to restrict Gujarat to 142/5. 

Alyssa Healy’s early onslaught and clean ball-striking by Grace Harris (60 n.o.) helped the Warriorz achieve the target in 15.4 overs. 

Earlier, in the first innings, Laura Wolvaardt flayed Anjali Sarvani for three consecutive boundaries through cover-point in the second over. 

Grace shelled a return catch off Wolvaardt, but UPW did not have to wait long for a breakthrough as Sophie Ecclestone (3/20) had Mooney caught at mid-on. 

UPW’s spinners were miserly throughout, and after 18 balls without a boundary, Wolvaardt failed to clear Chamari Athapaththu at mid-off as Sophie struck again. 

Phoebe Litchfield (35) finished Chamari’s 11th over with two boundaries and brought out the reverse sweep against Rajeshwari Gayakwad. The Karnataka tweaker recovered to end Harleen Deol’s scratchy innings. 

Phoebe was handed a life by Deepti Sharma, who dropped a simple catch off the Australian’s attempted reverse sweep. 

Ashleigh Gardner (30) peppered the leg-side boundary and Phoebe brought up the 50-run partnership between the two Aussies with a cracking maximum. Deepti’s 18th over went for 19 runs, but the momentum tilted UPW’s way with two bits of excellence on the field. 

First, Chamari completed a good running catch to send Ashleigh back, and three balls later, Saima Thakor’s direct hit sent Phoebe packing as GG ended their innings with a sub-par total. 

Healy got the Warriorz off to a blazing start, striking four boundaries off Meghna Singh’s third over, and continued to make the most of the fielding restrictions by playing lofted drives.

UPW cantered to 58 in six overs, but lost both Healy and Kiran. Grace continued where Alyssa left off, and Chamari displayed her class with some crisp drives, before finding Laura at deep backward square off Tanuja Kanwer. 

But Grace and Deepti ensured that UPW sealed victory without further hiccups, stitching together an unbeaten 53-run partnership in just 30 balls. 

Brief scores: Gujarat Giants: 142/5 in 20 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 28, Phoebe Litchfield 35, Ashleigh Gardner 30; Sophie Ecclestone 3-20) lt to UP Warriorz: 143/4 in 15.4 overs (Alyssa Healy 33, Grace Harris 60 n.o.; Tanuja Kanwer 2-23).

PoM: Grace Harris.