Gujarat Giants V/S Delhi Capitals 11 March 2023

What was curious about Delhi Capitals playing eleven was that they had left out Sophia Dunkley who helped them bundle out the Royal Challengers Bangalore in their last match.

Marizanne Kapp and her deathly spell

Gujarat Giants won the toss and elected to bat. The seamer Marizanne Kapp from South Africa opened the bowling for GG. She was not at her best in the previous matches and looked determined with her

Source: www.wplt20.com

“go girl” look with her dark hair bundled up into a neat work-friendly knot at the back of her head. Nobody at the D Y Patil Stadium, Mumbai knew yet what a deathly spell she was about to unleash. With her second ball of the first over on the fresh pitch she yorked the GG opener S Meghana and found that golden spot for the wicket to wicket seam bowling with that deceptive in-swing. GG was one down for nil, very early in the match.

In her second over she clean bowled her fellow country women Laura Wolvaardt and in the very next ball the awesome Ashleigh Gardner was trapped Leg before. GG was 3 down for 9 in the 3rd over.

Meg Lanning kept her seamer on and in her third over Harleen Deol couldn’t read the swing and got stuck on a Leg Before Wicket. In her final over still hitting that golden spot with as much pace as in her first over she clean bowled a startled Sushama Verma. GG was almost done on 6/33.

Georgia Wareham and Kim Garth fight back

Georgia and Kim took heart and stuck on rising hope until Georgia was clean bowled by S Radha with a stunner for 22 (25b 2x4). She walked back to the pavilion knowing had she stayed on and took a run a ball or even less GG would have finished better. Kim Garth remained not out on 32 (37b, 3x4) and GG finished with 105/9 in 20 overs. 

Shafali Verma and Captain Meg Lanning

The great expectations are built around the WPL in terms of the opportunities it will bring for the women in India and for the international players. The most endearing aspect of the WPL is the opportunity for our local amateur players to learn from senior international players. How well they vibe and gel is largely dependent on the team management and the atmosphere they create in the camp, we came to see the best of that combination in Shafali and her captain who came out very aggressively to achieve their target in a very short time. From the moment Meg Lanning realized Shafali was in great nick and timing the ball very well, she stepped down to a supporting role and let Shafali roll it all the way home. DC finished the match in 7.1 overs with ten wickets in hand scoring 107 runs Meg Lanning 15 not out(15b 3x4) Shafali Verma 76 not out (28b 10x4 5x6). After the thumping victory in the post-match interview it was heartwarming to hear Shafali thanking Meg for all the advice she was giving her while they were batting.  Marizanne Kapp, naturally was the player of the Match.

Looking forward to hear about and see more of such winning local + international in the coming days, Congratulations Delhi Capitals for such a splendid game.

Hayley Matthews of Mumbai Indians

 Her father, Mike Matthews, was the fourth down batsman for the Prestigious Pickwick Club in Barbados who could bowl some neat off spins. She and her brother, Wayne, grew up watching her father play at the Kensington oval there and as children they ran all around the ground during the breaks. It was quite natural that she took to Cricket from a very young age. (At 8 she was playing for the Boy’s team of Peoples Cathedral Primary School near her home and captaining it at the age of 11. She was the Captain of prestigious secondary School of Harrison College Under 13 Boy’s team and helping them win a tournament. )

Hayley was a Mumbai Indians fan from the very start of our premier leagues. Her father was a huge fan of Sachin Tendulkar ( like we are of Clive, Richards, Malcolm Marshall, Mike Holding, Joel Garner ..!) and Mumbai Indians. This year in 2023 when the Women’s IPL auction went underway, she was not considered by any team in the first round even though she was the man of the match of 2016 Women’s T20 World Cup Final which West Indies Won.

R. Ashwin our Indian Cricketer was the first one to express his surprise how she with the potential to become the Most Valued Player was overlooked but by then she was already in Mumbai Indians who picked her up for the base price and winning matches.  Hayley Matthews is the girl our girls will be looking up to; in her is the inspiration to be ready and use the opportunity that comes in everyones way sooner or later.

Congratulations and Best Wishes Hayley Matthews.

Ellyse Perry

Celebrating Holy 

Ellyse Perry is a special Player who excelled in two sports.

She is one of those rare athletes who have represented her country (Australia) in two sports world Cup; football and Cricket.

At present Ellyse is considered as one of the all-time greats of Women’s Cricket.  She was a good footballer too. In 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup in a match against Sweden she scored for Australia right from the edge of the box curving it into top corner of the net.

In RCB Jersey

Now with 4921 Runs and 283 Wickets with a Test Average of 75.2 Runs her football life looks so far away. It was her athleticism and tight fielding that cost India the match in the semi-finals of the recently concluded ICC T20 Women’s World Cup in South Africa.

She was chosen by Royal Challengers Bangalore and is one of the biggest attractions of the Indian T20 Women’s Premier league which she believes is phenomenal and  feels its scale is unrivaled by any other Women’s competition in the world. She believes the Indian Premier League will create an amazing depth of talent for the Indian Women’s Cricket.

Ellyse Perry is, no doubt, going to inspire thousands of Indian girls in the coming years. Wish you the best Ellyse and it is you we are thinking about on International Women’s Day, the youngest ever Cricketer, both male and female, to have represented Australia.

Pictures from Instagram : Royal Challengers Bangalore