WPL: UP Warriorz tame Gujarat Giants, win second successive match
What's the story
UP Warriorz put up a valiant all-round show as they thumped the Gujarat Giants by six wickets in match number 8 of the 2024 Women's Premier League on Friday in Bengaluru.
Gujarat Giants managed a paltry 142/5 in 20 overs. Sophie Ecclestone starred with 3/20.
In response, Alyssa Healy's side chased down a 143-run target in 15.4 overs.
Here are the details.
Sophie
Ecclestone floors Gujarat Giants with 3/20
Ecclestone removed Gujarat openers Laura Wolvaardt and Beth Mooney.
Woolvaardt and Mooney added 40 runs before the latter perished in the sixth over. She was caught at mid-off while trying to come down the track.
In the 10th over, Wolvaardt came down the track and closed the bat's face before being caught.
Ashleigh Gardner was her latest victim as Chamari Athapaththu claimed a stunner.
Scalps
Joint-highest wicket-taker in WPL history
With her spell of 3/20, Ecclestone has raced to six wickets in the ongoing season, from four matches at an average of 17.
She registered her best figures. Notably, Ecclestone managed 16 scalps in WPL 2023. She averaged 14.68 last season and had an economy rate of 6.61.
Overall, she owns 22 scalps in the WPL, which is the joint-highest alongside Amelia Kerr.
UPW
Litchfield and Gardner work hard
Phoebe Litchfield and Gardner added crucial half-century-plus stands for the fourth wicket after the Giants were reduced to 83/3.
Litchfield scored a 26-ball 35 (SR: 134.62). She smashed four fours and a six.
On the other hand, Gardner slammed a 17-ball 30 (SR: 176.47).
Gardner has surpassed 250 runs in the WPL (256). She scored 204 runs in WPL 2023.
Information
Healy races to 337 runs in WPL
Healy, who scored 253 runs in the WPL 2023 season, owns 84 runs from four matches in WPL 2024 at 21. Overall, she has raced to 337 runs. On Friday, she hit a 21-ball 33 (SR: 157.14).
Harris
Grace Harris breaches the 150-run mark in WPL 2024
Grace Harris was at her best as she played a match-winning knock of 60* from 33 balls.
She smashed nine fours and two sixes, clocking a strike rate of 181.82.
She shared an unbeaten 53-run stand alongside Deepti Sharma (17*).
As per ESPNcricinfo, Harris owns 153 runs in WPL 2024 at 76.5 (SR: 168.13). She hit her maiden fifty.
Information
Second straight win for the Warriorz
Since starting the WPL 2024 season with two successive defeats, the Warriorz have now won two back-to-back matches. In terms of the points table, the Warriorz are third with four points (NRR: +0.211). Gujarat are last and haven't yet won a match (3 attempts).