Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) winless run in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) continued as they sunk to their fifth straight loss after the pair of Jess Jonassen and Marizanne Kapp downed their opponents’ fighting bowling unit in a last-over thriller at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Monday.
With this win, RCB is at the bottom of the table with zero points. DC is at the second position with four wins in five games and a loss. They have a total of eight points. In the chase of 151 runs, DC started poorly as they lost their in-form opener Shafali Verma for a golden duck on second ball of their innings. Megan Schutt produced a delivery which the batter tried to flick but it went crashing into her leg stump. DC was
1/1 in 0.2 overs.
All-rounder Alice Capsey was up next and joined the skipper Meg Lanning on the crease. The ever-explosive, consistent skipper was reduced to a mere onlooker at the non-strikers end as Capsey took RCB
bowlers to cleaners.
Star pacer Renuka Singh was smashed for three fours in fourth over. Preeti Bose dealt with more worse punishment and was hit for four straight fours by Capsey.
However, Bose had the last laugh as Capsey was caught by Ellyse Perry at deep mid-wicket for 38 off 24 balls. The knock consisted of eight fours. DC was 45/2 in 4.5 overs. Jemimah Rodrigues was next up on the crease. DC crossed the 50-run mark in 5.5 overs. At the end of the powerplay in six overs, DC was at 52/2, with Lanning (7*) and Rodrigues (1*) at the crease.
Jemimah and Lanning were building a partnership for themselves. But Asha Shobana put an end to this short stand of 25 runs, sending back skipper Lanning for 15 off 18 balls. The Australian was caught by Heather Knight while attempting to hit straight. DC was 70/3 in 8.4 overs. All-rounder Marizanne Kapp was next up on the crease. At the end of 10 overs, DC was 83/3, with Rodrigues (14*) and Kapp (10*) unbeaten at the crease. RCB kept making pressure on DC, restricting their run-flow in the next three overs.
DC reached the 100-run mark in 13.3 overs.
Asha once again broke a partnership, this time a 39-run stand between Kapp and Rodrigues by sending back the latter for 32 off 28 balls after she was caught by keeper Richa Ghosh. DC was 109/4 in 14.3 overs. Asha got
her second wicket.
Jess Jonassen was next up on the crease and announced her arrival with a four on the first ball. At the end of 15 overs, DC was at 114/4, with Kapp (16*) and Jonassen (5*) unbeaten. They needed 37 in the final five overs. In the 17th over, Schutt tried to create some pressure on DC with four dot balls in a row, but Kapp relieved some pressure with a four and a single, leaving DC with 24 runs in
18 balls needed.
Perry came to deliver the next over and started well with two dot balls, but yet again Kapp hit a pressure-relieving six. DC was left with 16 runs needed in the final two overs. Shreyanka came to deliver the penultimate over. Things did not look good with just two runs in the first three balls, but Jonassen hit a four. DC needed nine
in the final over.
Renuka Singh came to deliver the last over. After a single on the first two balls, Jonnasen hit a six on the third ball and four to seal the victory for DC, which finished at 154/4 in 19.4 overs, with Jonassen (29*) and Kapp (32*) unbeaten.
Asha (2/27) was the pick of the bowlers for RCB. Bose and Schutt took a wicket each.
