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UP Warriorz condemned the Gujarat Giants to a second straight defeat as here side eventually pulled through to secure a three-wicket victory at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday, March 5. Setting a target of 170 for the win, Kim Garth took five wickets to dismantle the Warriorz's top order but a late charge from Grace Harris in the final three overs took the game to the final over, where they completed an unlikely yet brilliant victory.
The Warriorz scored 58 runs in 18 balls of the match to completely turn the tide after a Garth special saw the Australian replacement for Deandra Dottin pick up a fifer to dismantle the opponent's top order.
For UP, only Kiran Navgire shined at the top as wickets fell around her. Openers Alyssa Healy (7 off 8) and Shweta Sehrawat (5 off 6) were the first two wickets for Garth before Navgire lit up the stadium in Mumbai with her 53 runs off 43 balls.
While Navgire played a calm and collected innings with 5 fours and 2 sixes to her name, Garth struck again to get countrywoman Tahlia McGrath for a Golden Duck in the third over.
Ashleigh Gardner and Mansi Joshi also bagged a wicket each but the all-important wicket of Navigre in the 13th over, with the score reading 88/5. The next ball saw Simran Shaikh depart for a Golden Duck, the final wicket for the Australian.
In came Grace Harris and the match was suddenly turned on its head.
Harris started slow, with four runs in seven balls. It was not till the 17th over that she took her batting to the next level. She smashed Tanuja Kanwar and then Garth, against whom she smashed 19 runs.
In the final over, she smashed Sutherland left, right and centre to take the game and the win away from Gujarat.
Earlier, Harleen Deol scored a brilliant 46 off 32 balls but the Warriorz spin duo of Sophie Ecclestone and Deepti Sharma bowled tidy spells to restrict the Giants to 169 for six. This came after the Giants were bowled out for 64 during their 143-run defeat against Mumbai Indians in the WPL opener.
The side got off to a brilliant start after Sabbhineni Meghana (24 off 15) and Sophia Dunkley (13 off 11) kept the pace bowlers at arm's length.
The run rate was a cruising 10 per over after three overs when Deepti gave the crucial breakthrough when she got Dunkley in her first over.
Then Sophie Ecclestone struck to get Meghana on her third delivery. Her second wicket was that of Sutherland (8), while Tahlia McGrath made it 76/4 around the halfway mark after she had wicketkeeper-batter Sushma Verma (9).
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