WPL: Gardner, Hemalatha partnership guides Gujarat Giants to 178/6 against UP Warriorz
Mumbai, Mar 20: A brilliant 93-run partnership between Dayalan Hemalatha (57 off 33 balls) and the second costliest player Ashleigh Gardner (60 off 39 balls) helped Gujarat Giants post 178 for six in their crucial Women's Premier League match against UP Warriorz here on Monday.
The authority and attacking ways with which the duo played indicated they were on a mission, given the do-or-die nature of the contest as the tournament enters its business end.
By the time the partnership ended, with Hemalatha dismissed by Parshavi Chopra in the 17th over with the team total on 143, the stand had put the team on course for a big total.
South African opener Laura Wolvaardt and Sophia Dunkley went about their task of scoring runs in powerplay with a lot of urgency. Runs flowed freely while the two batting stalwarts were at the crease, with Wolvaardt smacking a fine boundary off just the third ball of the opening over bowled by left-arm pacer Anjali Sarvani.
The 23-year-old used the width on offer to steer it past backward point, making her intentions clear. Just two overs into the match and Gujarat Giants were in overdrive, with the team having scored 26 runs.
The powerful six by the South African off a length delivery outside off stump from left-arm India spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad in the second over had class and power written all over it.
Soon England batter Dunkley took charge, giving a further fillip to the scoring rate.
By the time Wolvaardt was dismissed for 17, knocked down by a length delivery from Sarvani, the pair had put up an opening partnership of 41 in just four overs.
The UP side recovered from the initial onslaught as they reduced the Giants to 50 for three at the end of powerplay.
Dunkley was the next batter to depart on the first ball of the sixth over, slicing a flighted delivery from Gayakwad to third man where Sarvani did the rest.
Harleen Deol (4), after threading one past point for a boundary, was dismissed on the last ball of the same over as the young India batter was caught by Simran Shaikh at cover point.
With such a flourishing start, 50/3 in powerplay overs looked mediocre. But new batters, Hemalatha and Gardner ensured a quick flow of runs.
The Giants' 100 came in the 11th over with Gardner clearing deep midwicket to deposit a big six into the cow corner.
The flurry of boundaries and sixes continued with monotonous regularity with the pair dispatching virtually every loose delivery to the ropes.
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Marsh, Markram score half-centuries as LSG make 203/8 against MI
Lucknow, Apr 4 (PTI): Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya scalped his maiden five-wicket haul in T20 cricket in an inspiring bowling performance but Lucknow Super Giants rode on superb half-centuries from Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram to post 203 for 8 in an Indian Premier League match here on Friday.
Pandya returned with magnificent figures of 5/36, taking the wickets of Markram (53 off 38 balls), Nicholas Pooran (12), Rishabh Pant (2), David Miller (27) and Akash Deep (0), putting brakes on LSG's innings after the home team was put in to bat.
LSG were off to a great start with opener Marsh hitting his third half-century in four matches. His 60 came off just 31 balls and was studded with nine fours and two sixes.
With the other opener Markram also in good nick, LSG were 69 for no loss at the end of power play. But MI came back after that with Pandya making crucial bowling changes.
Left-arm wrist spinner Vignesh Puthur, who had starred in MI's win over Chennai Super Kings, was introduced in the seventh over and he gave the breakthrough immediately. He had Marsh caught and bowled, breaking the dangerous-looking opening stand of 76 runs.
Pandya then brought himself into action and had Pooran in the ninth over before getting the prized wicket of LSG captain Pant (2) who got out cheaply once again.
Substitute fielder Corbin Bosch took a fine catch at the mid-off after Pant failed to negotiate a slower ball off Pandya. Pant, who faced six balls, continued his poor form, having scored 0, 15, 2 in his three earlier innings.
LSG were 107 for 3 in 10.4 overs when Pant was out.
Markram, who had been ordinary so far, stood up for his team and held one end together till he was out in the 18th over.
Earlier, Deepak Chahar gave away 15 runs in the second over with Marsh hitting two fours and Markram getting a boundary.
Marsh was on fire as he punished Trent Boult with two clean hits -- one yielding a six and another a four.
The Australian did not spare Mitchell Santner, hitting two fours off the Kiwi bowler and then gave young Indian left-arm pacer Ashwani Kumar, who had starred in MI's previous match, the same treatment.
He hit Kumar for a six and a four in consecutive balls in the sixth over to reach to his fifty off just 27 balls. Kumar bled 23 runs in that over.
MI stalwart and India captain Rohit Sharma, who had struggled in the three matches he had played so far, missed out the match as he was hit on knees at the nets.
Brief scores:
Lucknow Super Giants: 203 for 8 in 20 overs (Mitchell Marsh 60, Aiden Markram 53, Ayush Badoni 30, David Miller 27; Hardik Pandya 5/36).
