Riding on opener Laura Wolvaardt’s 42-ball 68, Gujarat Giants (GG) posted 188-4 against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in an Women’s Premier League (WPL) game at the Brabourne Stadium on Saturday.
At the time of going to press, RCB were 176-2 in 14 overs after opener Sophie Devine’s quickfire 36-ball 99. Her knock included nine fours and eight sixes. She was dismissed by pacer Kim Garth.
Earlier, opener Sophia Dunkley (16, 3×4) showed her intent right from the start. She earned 11 runs from pacer Sophie Devine’s (1-23) first over, smashing a couple of fours through superbly-timed cover and straight drives. However, Dunkley gifted her wicket to Devine while trying to play across and lost her furniture.
But Wolvaardt, who scored a 45-ball 57 against Delhi Capitals at the same ground on Thursday, converted her good start into another big knock. Leg-spinner Shobana Asha (0-35) bowled well and almost had Wolvaardt when on 29 in her follow through, but the bowler’s late reaction helped the Proteas batter survive.
Later, Wolvaardt got her fifty in 35 balls with a six over the midwicket fence off pacer Ellyse Perry (0-25).
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Wolvaardt dominated the proceedings, hitting nine fours and two sixes. But Ashleigh Gardner’s 41 off just 26 balls laced with six fours and one six, some hard-hitting in the end from Dayalan Hemalatha (6-ball 16 not out) and Harleen Deol (5-ball 12 not out) proved costly for the RCB bowlers.
