While RCB’s bowling attack managed to hold Delhi Capitals to a last over thriller, the result remained the same with Smriti Mandhana’s side falling to yet another loss in the Women’s Premier League.
Can a change in venue bring about a change in fortunes for the Royal contenders Bangalore?- This was the theme of the evening as Royal contenders Bangalore headed to the DY Patil Stadium for the first time in the Women’s Premier League, facing Delhi centrals in their first rear institution.
Well, it wasn’t a change of fate but rather a change in the periphery of defeat, with DC winning the match by six lattices in a last- over suspenser, following an bettered performance from RCB.
RCB’s struggles to keep the tempo high in the middle and late overs in their fur innings continued with the side stuck at 41 after losing its openers by the ninth over. While Marizanne Kapp shone with the ball a many days agone against Gujarat titans, it was her new ball mate Shikha Pandey’s turn to shine, as she picked up three lattices to circumscribe RCB to 150 in 20 overs- a score that was possible courtesy Ellyse Perry and Richa Ghosh’s 74- run cooperation for the fourth gate.
Pandey began by condemning Smriti to yet another single number score when the RCB commander pulled Pandey to the deep but didn’t get enough distance on the shot, piercing out to Jemimah Rodrigues rather.
Before her redundancy, Smriti and opening mate Sophie Devine got off to a conservative launch, eager to not allow DC to capitalise on any early crimes. Pandey turned the script around with Smriti’s redundancy and also removed Devine soon after she her attempt to go across the line ended in the ball knocking off her leg refuse.
New batters Perry and Heather Knight took some time to settle in– commodity the Aussie stager was critical of in hindsight. Tara Norris took advantage of the drop in instigation, removing Knight for a 12- ball 11.
Perry also settled in to consolidate with Ghosh at the other end. Ghosh, particularly, took advantage of the shorter boundaries as she dealt in fours and sixes, going at a remarkable strike rate of 231. Her lively 16- ball 37 was brought to an end by Pandey soon after.
Demanding a late flourish, Perry picked up pace and penalized Pandey for dropping her off her own bowling when the Australian was on 29. Her unbeaten 67 off 52 balls saw four fours and five sixes and was crucial in getting RCB to a par score.
Chasing 151 to win, Delhi commander Meg Lanning and Shafali Verma who have together put up 344 runs together in four matches couldn’t replicate their success with Megan Schutt dismissing Verma for a golden duck.
Lanning decided to play it safe and was joined by Alice Capsey who took on the power- hitting duties for the evening. The 18- time-old England allrounder showed what she can do with the club with a brisk 24- ball 38 before being dismissed by Preeti Bose. Sobhana Asha will flash back her demoiselle WPL crown for a long time to come, removing the dangerous Lanning for an 18- ball 15.
Asha also dismissed Jemimah Rodrigues to give RCB a serious chance in this clash. Jemimah looked set in the middle, getting to 32 before her time at the crinkle was brought to an end.
The onus also shifted onto Kapp and Jess Jonassen, who has been having a fantastic event with the club. The brace put up a 45- run stage for the fifth gate.
RCB’s bowlers tested the Delhi middle order, stifling the run inflow and icing DC still demanded a last over finish to seal the game in its favour. With nine runs demanded off six balls, RCB brought back Renuka Singh Thakur.
The Indian attachment started well, giving away just two runs in the first two balls with the ask getting tense by the nanosecond. still, an in- form Jonassen finished the game in style with a six over deep midwicket and a four over the bowler’s head to hand deny RCB a chance to open its account in the event. Know More Women’s Cricket News…
