Ash Gardner’s allround present takes Gujarat Giants to win over UPW
New Delhi: Gujarat Giants kickstarted their Ladies’s Premier League (WPL) marketing campaign as they chased down their first win of the season, securing a six-wicket win towards UP Warriorz on the Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara on Sunday.
GG wanted to bounce again after their defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru within the season opener and an all-round efficiency led by skipper Ash Gardner bought them by means of comfortably ultimately.
Chasing 144, Gujarat confronted early setbacks as opener Beth Mooney and Dayalan Hemalatha had been dismissed for nought, Grace Harris (1/1) and Sophie Ecclestone (2/16) offering the early breakthroughs to depart them reeling at 2/2 in 1.3 overs.
Nonetheless, Gujarat Giants’ captain Ash Gardner led from the entrance with a valiant 32-ball 52 underneath stress, having taken 2/39 after electing to bowl. Gardner stitched a 55-run partnership with Laura Wolvaardt (22) to stabilise the innings. Ecclestone picked up her second wicket, dismissing the South African batter for 22.
Tahlia McGrath (1/21) was unable to show up with the bat earlier, however she compensated by selecting the massive wicket, dismissing her fellow Aussie Gardner. Though Wolvaardt after which Gardner departed, Deandra Dottin (33) and Harleen Deol (34) ensured there have been no additional hiccups, elevating a 58-run fifth wicket stand to steer Gujarat to a well-deserved win by six wickets with 12 balls in hand.
GG opted to bowl and put Warriorz underneath stress early on earlier than managed to limit them to a below-par whole of 143 – the bottom rating of the season to date.
Warriorz bought off to a promising begin, because of a brisk knock from opener Kiran Navgire (15). Nonetheless, her keep was lower quick when West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin trapped her lbw, shifting the momentum in Gujarat’s favour.
A quick resistance got here from captain Deepti Sharma (39) and wicket-keeper batter Uma Chetry (24), who stitched collectively a gentle partnership of 51 runs. Nonetheless, issues unravelled as soon as that stand was damaged.
The turning level got here when leg-spinner Priya Mishra (3/25) produced a game-changing over, dismissing two of Warriorz’s most harmful batters – Tahlia McGrath (0) and Grace Harris (4). The double blow left the Warriorz reeling at 78/5 with their center order in disarray.
Gardner (2/39) and Dottin (2/34) had been the help act for Mishra, claiming two wickets apiece.
Late fireworks from new recruit Alana King (19) and Saima Thakor (15) helped UP scrape previous 140, providing a glimmer of hope. Finally, it didn’t show to be sufficient.
“More than happy, we weren’t very distant within the different sport,” mentioned Participant-of-the-Match Gardner. “To play this model of cricket and successful in the present day’s sport at house feels particular. Our bowlers did a fantastic job and somebody like Priya Mishra taking three wickets in simply her second WPL sport was good.”
On the batting strategy of the staff, Gardner mentioned: “Particular person evaluation, everybody has their very own technique to do batting. You see Dottin clears her entrance leg and whacks sixes and somebody like Deol is methodical in her strategy. We have now a deep batting lineup and hopefully you will note the very best of it nonetheless.”
