Mumbai girls thrash Gujarat to win the Women’s U-23 West Zone Championship

Mumbai girls had applied the top gear right from the start and were oozing with confidence when they faced Gujarat at Sachin Tendulkar Gymkhana, Kandivli, in the last match of Inter-Zonal Women’s U-23 cricket tournament on Monday. Scoring 300 plus runs in a women’s domestic game is a rare commodity, however Mumbai, who won the toss and elected to bat first, played an all-together different cricket. They were aggressive, they were ruthless and they just tore apart the Gujarat bowling attack. The opening pair of Hemali Borwankar (116) and Jemimah Rodrigues (101) left everybody speechless, thanks to their wonderful batting performance. Both the openers scored magnificent centuries, which came in quick time as well. A few cameos towards the end and Mumbai saw itself crossing the formidable 300-run mark. The Gujarat bowlers looked listless as they had no answers for Mumbai’s blitzkrieg.

After being hammered brutally, Gujarat was low on confidence. Mumbai bowlers struck the iron when it was hot and rattled the Gujarat batting line up for a paltry 97, winning the match by a mammoth margin of 230 runs. Saima Thakore, who played her first game of the tournament, made the most of the opportunity as she picked up 4-15 in her 10 overs. Jemimah Rodrigues (3-19), Manashree Gavande (2-23) and Humaira Kazi (1-2) were the other bowlers among wickets.

Apart from their loss to Maharashtra on Saturday, Mumbai girls have looked in good touch. Having won three out of four matches, they emerged as the West Zone U-23 champions with 12 points. They have played well as a team and have certainly reaped the sweet fruits of their hard work.

Brief scores: Mumbai 327-4 in 50 overs (H Borwankar 116, J Rodrigues 101, M Joshi 45; A Patel 2-55) beat Gujarat 97 in 41.2 overs (R Chaudhari 20, H Patel 17; S Thakore 4-15, J Rodrigues 3-19, M Gavande 2-23) by 230 runs

India eves conclude the Aussie tour on a high

If the men in blue won four out of the eight matches Down Under, India eves were no less as they matched their male counterparts winning three out of six matches. After winning the T20 series 2-1, India had a rocky ODI series as they lost it 1-2, winning the last ODI on 7th Feb at Tasmania.

Winning the toss and opting to bat first, Australia put on board a defendable 231-7 in 50 overs, courtesy twin half centuries from Ellyse Perry (50) and Alex Blackwell (60). The visitors bowled well to restrict the hosts for 230 odd runs. Jhulan Goswami (1-33) led from the front and received good support from Shikha Pandey (3-50) and Rajeshwari Gayakwad (2-41). The Indians went all out for this game as they had nothing to lose. They played good positive cricket and had their tails up and swinging.

As India had scored close to 250 runs in the 2nd ODI, chasing 232 runs didn’t seem to be a daunting task. Southpaw Smriti Mandhana fresh from her maiden ODI century picked up from where she had left and cruised to yet another half century, scoring 55 runs off just 52 balls. Skipper Mithali Raj (82) played one of the best innings of her life and helped India achieve the target with ease. Harmanpreet Kaur (29) and Punam Raut (24*) chipped in as well. As we have seen all through the tournament the tremendous contributions of Aussie all-rounder Ellyse Perry, she struck once again in this match, grabbing 2-51 in her 10 overs.

Mithali Raj was declared as the Man of the Match and Ellyse Perry as the Man of the Series.

                                                              Photo source: espncricinfo

Maharashtra girls get the better off Mumbai in West Zone U-23 match

Mumbai locked horns against Maharashtra on 6^th Feb at MCA ground, BKC in the West Zone U-23 women’s cricket tournament match. Having won the first two matches, Mumbai was high on confidence when they came out to bat against a strong Maharashtra team. Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Mumbai was bundled out for 211 just inside 50 overs. Opening bat-wicketkeeper Hemali Borwankar (79) played an anchor’s role and top scored for Mumbai. Mugdha Joshi (36) and Humaira Kazi (34) contributed in the middle order and helped Mumbai cross the 200-run mark. Devika Vaidya was the pick of the bowlers for Maharashtra as she finished off with the figures of 4-32.

In reply, Maharashtra got off to a good start, courtesy a 59 run opening partnership. After shining with the ball, Devika Vaidya (109) proved her worth when she single handedly took her team home with an unbeaten century. Humaira Kazi was the pick of the bowlers picking up 2-40 in her 10 overs.

Mumbai face Gujarat in its last match of the tournament on 8^th Feb at Sachin Tendulkar Gymkhana, Kandivli. 

Mandhana’s century goes in vain as India eves lose the ODI series to Australia

Making her way into the ODI side, south paw Smriti Mandhana made the most of the opportunity provided to her. She scored a scintillating century and helped India post a formidable total of 252-8 in 50 overs at Bludstone Oval, when India faced Australia in the second ODI on 5^th Feb. Skipper Mithali Raj also contributed with a patient knock of 58. Mandhana and Raj were a treat to watch. India would have loved to score close to 300 runs, however there were no big contributions from the middle order, apart from Shikha Pandey’s (33 runs off 30 balls) cameo at the end. Ellyse Perry’s purple patch continued as she picked up 3-55 in 10 overs and received good support from Megam Schutt (2-34 in 10 overs) at the other end.

Having scored 276 in their first ODI, chasing 254 odd runs was going to be easy for the hosts. It was a smooth run chase as the opening pair Nicole Bolton (77) and Meg Lanning (61) put together a solid partnership of 137 runs in 22.3 overs. The Indian bowlers looked listless after being at the receiving end of the Aussie blitzkrieg. Shikha Pandey and Rajeshwari Gayakwad were the only bowlers who could pick up couple of wickets apiece. Australia eves comfortably chased down the target in 46.5 overs keeping six wickets in hand. Smriti Mandhana was awarded with the Man of the Match for her brilliant century.

Australia takes on India at Bludstone Arena, Tasmania, on 7^th Feb in the third and last game of the tour, which will be just a match of academic importance as the hosts have achieved an unassailable lead of 2-0 in the three match ODI series.

Brief Scores: India Women 253-8 in 50 overs (S Mandhana 102, M Raj 58; E Perry 3-55, M Schutt 2-34) lost to Australia Women 253-4 in 46.5 overs (N Bolton 77, M Lanning 61; S Pandey 2-49, R Gayakwad 2-44) by 6 wickets 

Mumbai girls beat Baroda in West Zone U-23 match

Mumbai faced Baroda on 3^rd Feb at Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy, BKC, in the on-going Women’s Cricket U-23 Zonal League One Day tournament. Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Mumbai posted a formidable total of 231-8 in 50 overs, courtesy twin half centuries scored by Humaira Kazi (64) and Shweta Haranhalli (57). Both these batswomen played some aggressive cricket, piercing the gaps with spectacular precision. Gayatri Naik and Nancy Patel were the pick of the bowlers for Baroda grabbing couple of wickets apiece.

Chasing 232 runs in 50 overs was not going to be a cake walk and Mumbai bowlers did just what the doctor had asked for. They bundled out Baroda for 145 in 41.1 overs, thus winning the match comprehensively by 86 runs. Palak Patel (51) and Tarannum Pathan (48) played well but failed to take their team home. It was an all-round effort from Mumbai, with Manali Dakshini and Fatima Jaffer picking up two wickets each.

Mumbai will face Maharashtra in their next encounter on 6th Feb at Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy, BKC.

Brief scores: Mumbai 231-8 in 50 overs (H Kazi 64, S Haranhalli 57, M Joshi 24; G Naik 2-35, N Patel 2-42) beat Baroda 145-10 in 41.1 overs (P Patel 51, T Pathan 48; M Dakshini 2-26, F Jaffer 2-21) by 86 runs

Mumbai girls thrash Saurashtra in West Zone U-23 match

Mumbai girls locked horns against Saurashtra on 2^nd Feb at Sachin Tendulkar Gymkhana, Kandivli, Mumbai, in the on-going West Zone U-23 cricket tournament. Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Mumbai posted a defendable total of 189 in 50 overs, thanks to a brilliant half century scored by the opening bat Hemali Borwankar (57). She received good support from Vrushali Bhagat (43) and Sayali Satghare (30), who chipped in for Mumbai. Tanya Rao and Pooja Nimavat picked up couple of wickets apiece for Saurashtra.

In reply, Saurashtra was bundled out for a paltry 81 in 33.4 overs, thus losing the match by a huge margin of 108 runs. Saurashtra skipper Bhakti Shastri remained unbeaten on 41, however she was the lone fighter for the team. Manali Dakshini (2-24) and Sayali Satghare (2-17) rattled the Saurashtra top order and received good backing from Jemimah Rodrigues (3-7) towards the end.

Mumbai girls face Baroda in their next encounter on 3^rd Feb.       

Brief scores: Mumbai 189-10 in 50 overs (H Borwankar 57, V Bhagat 43, S Satghare 30; T Rao 2-23, P Nimavat 2-36 ) beat Saurashtra 81-10 in 33.4 overs (B Shastri 41*, R Dabhi 12; J Rodrigues 3-7, M Dakshini 2-24, S Satghare 2-17) by 108 runs

Blistering Blackwell and Power-packed Perry help Australia eves thrash India in the first ODI

Shifting gears from T20 to 50 over cricket wasn’t all that easy for India eves. Playing the first of the three ODIs, Australia Women thrashed India by a handsome margin of 101 runs today at Manuka Oval, Canberra. Australia skipper Meg Lanning won the toss and elected to bat first. The Aussies did not get off to a kind of start they would have wanted as they lost their opening bat Nicole Bolton (1) cheaply to Jhulan Goswami in just the third over. However there was no looking back since then. The Belinda Clark award winner and one of Australia’s best all-rounders Ellyse Perry came into bat next. First with Lanning (43) and then with Alex Blackwell (114), Perry stitched some useful partnerships in the middle, helping her team to post a formidable 276-6 in 50 overs. Blackwell made a mockery of Indian bowling as she smacked them all-round the park. It was Blackwell’s third century and she recorded her career best figures in today’s match.  India bowlers had no answers to Perry-Blackwell blitzkrieg. Apart from Shikha Pandey (3-32 in 10 overs), none of the other bowlers could threaten the hosts’ batting line-up.

Australia had set a mammoth chase for the visitors and it was important for the latter to get off to a solid start. Unfortunately both the openers were back in the hut inside 10 overs, which meant that the India skipper Mithali Raj would have to shoulder the burden of this mountain-like chase. Just when Raj (23) and Harmanpreet Kaur (42) were trying to build a partnership, Jess Jonassen trapped the big fish leg before wicket. With Raj making her way to the pavilion, the tension was mounting in the Indian dressing room. There was nothing much done by the lower order, apart from Goswami (25), who got off to a start but failed to capitalize. Ellyse Perry and co. bundled out the visitors for 175 in 46.5 overs, thus winning the match by a huge margin of 101 runs.  

The second ODI will be played on 5^th Feb at Bludstone Arena, Hobart.  

Brief scores: Australia Women 276-6 in 50 overs (A Blackwell 114, E Perry 90, M Lanning 43; S Pandey 3-32) beat India Women 175-10 in 46.5 overs (H Kaur 42, J Goswami 25; E Perry 4-45) by 101 runs

                                                              Source: Getty Images