Ton-up Smriti, spinners hand India-W massive 143-run win over South Africa in 1st ODI
Bengaluru, Jun 16: Smriti Mandhana's resolute hundred and a disciplined bowling effort, led by spinners Deepti Sharma and Asha Shobana, piloted India to a huge 143-run win over South Africa in the first women's ODI here on Sunday.
India now lead the three-match series 1-0, and the second game will be played here on June 19.
Mandhana's sixth ODI century (117, 127 balls , 12x4s, 1x6) formed the fulcrum of India's competitive 265 for eight on a sluggish Chinnaswamy pitch.
Then the Indian bowlers worked their magic around the South African batters to bowl out the visitors for 122 as debutante leg-spinner Asha (4/21) led the show with a frugal spell and was well-supported by offie Deepti (2/10).
Pacer Renuka Singh (1/30) gave India the perfect start, dismissing the in-form South Africa skipper Laura Wolvaardt in the first over itself.
Wolvaardt had no answer for an excellent nip-backer from Renuka that clipped the top of her off-stump.
The Indians soon fetched the wickets of Tazmine Brits and Anneke Bosch as the tourists slumped to 33 for three.
The experienced Marizane Kapp (24, 39 balls), who hammered Renuka for successive four and six, tried to revive the innings with Sune Luus who fought well with a 33.
But their fourth wicket alliance of 39 runs consumed 68 balls as the asking rate climbed over seven which never really came down thereafter.
Asha ended that struggle when the leg-spinner had Kapp caught at covers by Harmanpreet Kaur.
At five down for 74, South Africa were always facing the climb up the hill.
Earlier, India's script for victory was written by Mandhana, who thrilled the home crowd with a well-paced hundred.
Mandhana stitched two significant partnerships with the feisty Deepti (37, 48 balls, 3x4s) and Pooja Vastrakar (31 not out) to take India out of trouble after the hosts found themselves at 99 for five at one stage.
Mandhana and Deepti added 81 runs (92 balls) for the sixth wicket and Pooja, who had to leave the field later with a knee niggle while fielding, assisted the Indian vice-captain to make 58 runs (54 balls) for the seventh wicket.
Mandhana has a lot of flair in her batting.
But here she was forced to eschew that because of the team situation and the sluggish nature of the pitch to which India top-order batters like Shafali Verma (7), Harmanpreet (10) and Jemimah Rodrigues (17) failed to adapt, leading to their soft dismissals.
Mandhana was on 33 when India's fifth batter fell, and she had to preserve her wicket to take India forward.
Largely making her runs through those nips and tucks, Mandhana was also happy to free her hands when width was offered.
The left-hander's swivel pull off debutant pacer Anne Dercksen and a little shimmy down the track to deposit offie Nondumiso Shangase over mid-on had streaks of her elegance.
But credit should also go to Deepti in making Mandhana's job easier, playing a confident innings.
Deepti picked her bowlers and spots well to accumulate runs. The left-hander took a liking for Shangase, whom she swept for all her three boundaries.
But the low bounce did Deepti in as she dragged pacer Ayabonga Khaka's wide delivery on to her stumps.
However, Mandhana continued her solid ways and reached 99 off 115 balls from 93 with a beautifully timed six off pacer Masabata Klaas over mid-on.
She took a single in the next ball of Klaas to reach hundred in 116 balls.
However, Mandhana soon fell to Klaas but by then she had helped India reach a handy total.
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By-election result not a mandate for the government: Basavaraja Bommai
Bengaluru: The results of the by-elections in three constituencies do not represent a mandate for the state government, said MP Basavaraja Bommai, adding that ruling party MLAs are dissatisfied with the lack of development in the state.
Speaking to the media at the BJP office on Tuesday, he stated that by-elections typically favor the ruling government. "When we were in power, we won 13 out of 17 by-elections. The Congress should not assume that this is a verdict in their favor," he remarked.
Bommai emphasized that these results are confined to the constituencies where the by-elections were held. He also accused the state government of poorly implementing its guarantee schemes without adequate financial preparation, claiming that the schemes are being halted due to financial strain.
He alleged that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's government has borrowed over ₹1 lakh crore, leading to difficulties in financial management. Bommai pointed out that the state government is yet to release over ₹2,000 crore to local bodies, including village panchayats, as recommended by the 15th Finance Commission.
"Anganwadi workers and contract workers are not receiving their salaries, and contractors are refusing to take up work due to non-release of funds, even after tenders have been floated," he added.
Responding to questions about internal dissent within the BJP, Bommai denied any significant issues, stating, "There is no dissent in the BJP. Everyone is committed to the party. There may be differing opinions on some matters, but I am confident that everything will be resolved within a month." He also noted that a motivated BJP team is actively working for the party.
