UP Warriorz restrict Gujarat Giants to 152/8 in WPL
New Delhi, Mar 11: UP Warriorz's spin troika of Sophie Ecclestone, Deepti Sharma and Rajeswari Gayakwad made life miserable for wooden spooners Gujarat Giants before Beth Mooney's unbeaten 74 gave them some breathing space with a total of 152 for 8 in a WPL game here on Monday.
Young Indian fielders in the Warriorz side committed basic mistakes in catching and holding fort in the deep cost, which cost the team an extra 25 runs.
Ecclestone (3/38 in 4 overs), Deepti (2/22 in 4 overs) and Gayakwad (1/28 in 4 overs) tightened the noose on the Giants after Mooney and Wolvaardt (43 off 30 balls) added 60 in 7.5 overs to lay a solid foundation.
However things went haywire from thereon for the Giants as once Wolvardt was dismissed, Ecclestone and Deepti choked the run-flow and got the valuable wickets in the process.
Gujarat's Indian talent has been below par, and once again the likes of Bharati Fulmali, Dayalan Hemlatha and Tanuja Kanwer flattered to deceive with poor game sense and shot selection that left a lot to be desired.
With Phoebe Litchfield and Ashleigh Gardner struggling this season, there has been a lot of pressure on Wolvardt and Mooney.
Mooney, for a better part of her knock, scored at a run-a-ball and then the profligacy of the UP Warriorz fielders helped her get some extra boundaries.
The likes of Shweta Sehrwat, Poonam Khemnar and Saima Thakor are still not ready for top-flight cricket and some distance away from being decent fielders for this level.
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Congress committed to social justice, says Karnataka CM; hits out at JD(S), BJP
BJP Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday asserted that the Congress remains firmly committed to social justice, both in principle and practice.
"The Congress is a party committed to social justice. This ideological commitment has been demonstrated not merely through words but through action," the CM said in a statement, underlining that the party has consistently translated its philosophy into governance.
He said his recent article marking Social Justice Day has sparked debate.
Defending the piece, he said: "An article I wrote for a newspaper as part of Social Justice Day celebrations has sparked multifaceted debate in the state’s political circles. If water remains stagnant, it turns into slush; if it flows, it becomes clearer."
"The social system is similar—if it does not remain rigid and instead becomes dynamic, it transforms in a people-centric manner. From this perspective, I welcome the discussion surrounding my article," he added.
Stating that his commitment to social justice is longstanding, the CM said, "Whether in power or out of it, my stand in favour of social justice has remained unwavering. I have greater clarity about the caste system among us than the politicians criticising me."
"I am prepared for a public debate on this issue," Siddaramaiah added.
Responding to criticism from Union Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Kumaraswamy, he said, "I have taken his allegation—that I have ‘dragged caste into the picture for the sake of a chair’—lightly."
Launching a sharp attack on JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and his family, Siddaramaiah added, "Kumaraswamy and his revered father Deve Gowda are certainly not casteists; they are against their own caste. More importantly, they are family-centric. For them, caste is merely a vote bank."
He alleged that past, present, and future top JD(S) leaders would always be members of the Gowda family, questioning how many Vokkaliga leaders the party had nurtured during Deve Gowda’s long political career.
The CM maintained that it was the Congress that had identified and politically groomed Vokkaliga leaders.
"From Kengal Hanumanthaiah to S M Krishna, hundreds of Vokkaliga leaders have been nurtured. If Kengal Hanumanthaiah, Kadidal Manjappa, and S M Krishna became chief ministers, it was because of the Congress," he said, adding that several prominent Vokkaliga leaders are currently in the party.
"If one day anyone other than a member of Deve Gowda’s family becomes chief minister, it will be through the Congress," he noted.
Highlighting inclusivity, Siddaramaiah said the Congress has enabled leaders from Vokkaliga, Lingayat, and backward communities to become chief ministers in Karnataka, and expressed gratitude to party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for giving him a second term.
He added that leaders from the Dalit community who rise to the CM's post do so on merit, not merely caste. "I can confidently say that if someone from the Dalit community becomes chief minister in the future, it will be possible only through the Congress,” he reiterated.
He questioned whether the JD(S) or the BJP in the state is capable of fostering such aspirations. "This is the difference between the Congress, the BJP and JD(S). Therefore, I urge those accusing me of practising caste politics to introspect," the CM said.
