Women’s T20 Challenge: Velocity Record Easy Win Over Trailblazers

Jaipur: England top-order batswoman Danielle Wyatt starred with the bat as Velocity opened their account with a three-wicket victory over Trailblazers even as Deepti Sharma gave them a last-minute scare, in the second game of the Women’s T20 Challenge here on Wednesday.

Chasing a paltry 113 for victory, Velocity were never in trouble with Wyatt scoring a brisk 46 off 35 balls her innings laced with five fours and two sixes.

Skipper and veteran India batswoman Mithali Raj (17) gave her good company as the pair almost took the team over the line. With two runs needed from 20 balls, Wyatt was removed by Rajeshwari Gayakwad in the 17th over, and in the next ball Veda Krishnamurthy was run out.

It was a comedy of errors in the next overs, as Deepti, who returned magical figures of 4/14, snared three wickets in five balls with no run being scored.

First, Mithali yorked herself to lose her stumps, followed by Shikha Pandey who was cleaned up as she tried a needless sweep. Amelia Kerr did the same as Velocity lost five wickets without adding a single run. In the final ball of the 18th over, Sushree Pradhan finally hit the winning runs as the side won with 12 balls to spare.

Earlier, India left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht (2/13) and New Zealand leggie Kerr (2/21) shared four wickets between them to restrict Trailblazers to 112/6 after Velocity skipper Mithali asked them to bat first. For Trailblazers, who pulled-off a thrilling two-run win against Supernovas the other day, Harleen Deol (43 runs off 40 balls) top-scored with the help of five boundaries.

Bisht was particularly impressive in her four overs, keeping the run-flow in check as Trailblazers failed to get any sort of momentum going.

Mandhana, who scored a brilliant 90 in their match against Supernovas, failed to continue her good show with the bat as she was dismissed by Shikha Pandey, caught behind by wicketkeeper Sushma Verma.

Trailblazers kept losing wickets at regular intervals with Deol holding one end up. Brief scores: Trailblazers: 112/6 (Harleen Deol 43; Ekta Bisht 2/13, Amelia Kerr 2/21; Velocity Danielle Wyatt 46; Deepti Sharma 4/14. (IANS)

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