Mooney, bowlers set up emphatic win for Gujarat Giants

Beth Mooney’s power-packed knock was the highlight of Gujarat Giants’ win against UP Warriorz in a WPL match in Lucknow on Monday.
| Photo Credit: SANDEEP SAXENA

Gujarat Giants’ Beth Mooney chose the occasion of Lucknow staging a Women’s Premier League (WPL) match for the first time to put on a spectacular exhibition of strokeplay. Having contributed just 28 runs in the last four games, the Australian left-handed opener scripted a timely return to form with an unbeaten 96 off 59 deliveries at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Monday. It consigned host UP Warriorz to an 81-run defeat.

Mooney’s exploits set the stage for GG’s total of 186 for five. Warriorz’s response was wholly inadequate, folding for 105 in 17.1 overs. Tanuja Kanwar and Kashvee Gautam took three wickets apiece. The result was a foregone conclusion once Deepti Sharma’s team slumped to 25 for four.

Mooney had an able ally in No. 3 Harleen Deol for most of her innings. In a partnership of 101 runs off 68 balls for the second wicket, they played their roles to perfection. The latter’s 45 off 32 deliveries comprised six fours, three of which came with crisp drives against the seamers through mid-off.

The 31-year-old brought up her half-century, off 37 balls, with a boundary to the right of long-off against Deepti’s off-spin. That she was in complete command was apparent when she walloped seamer Kranti Goud for three fours in a row in the 14th over. Three more hits to the boundary rope in the next two overs, peppering the relatively safe region down the ground, meant she had motored along to 85 at the end of the 16th over. At this stage, she was well on course to become WPL’s first-ever centurion.

Strangely, though, she managed to face all of five deliveries in the last four overs. It left her short of a landmark, but she won’t mind given the rousing win for her team on Monday.

The scores: Gujarat Giants 186/5 in 20 overs (Mooney 96 n.o., Harleen Deol 45, Ecclestone 2/34) bt UP Warriorz 105 in 17.1 overs (Kashvee Gautam 3/11, Tanuja Kanwar 3/17, Dottin 2/14).

Toss: UP Warriorz. PoM: Mooney.

Thursday’s match: Mumbai Indians vs UP Warriorz, 7.30 p.m.