Georgia Voll 99* helps eliminated UP Warriors eliminate RCB Women in 12-run win

Georgia Voll ensured the UP Warriorz Women exited the WPL with a bang by scoring an unbeaten 99 from just 56 balls in a whopping total of 225-5 which was just enough to earn victory by 12-runs in their group match against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women at the Bharat Ratna Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Saturday night.

The 21-year-old Australian opener collected no less than 17 fours and a six during her 20-over stay at the crease adding 77 for the first wicket with fellow Australian Grace Harris (39 from 22 balls) before Kiran Navgire gave the innings a turbo-boost with an astonishing 46 from just 16 balls with five sixes and two fours.

West Indian Chinelle Henry (19 from 15) and England’s Sophie Ecclestone (13 from 10) were unable to maintain the tempo in the final overs with a record total on the cards but it was sufficient despite a truly remarkable cameo from 31-year-old off-spinning allrounder, Sneh Rana, who smote the first five balls she received for two fours and three sixes.

But when the improbable looked possible she was caught in the deep to depart for 26 from just six deliveries and the game was over.

RCB opener Sabbhineni Meghana heaved a pair of legside fours and sixes in her quickfire 27 from 12 balls and yet another Aussie, Ellyse Perry, plundered six fours in her 15-ball 28 to give RCB early but unlikely hope and Richa Ghosh delivered a wonderful mix of power and acumen in her 69 from from just 33 balls (6x4, 5x6) to keep RCB alive.

In the end a game full of intense drama and excitement meant nothing to the tournament as RCB Women joined the Warriorz as the two teams eliminated while the Gujarat Giants Women and the Mumbai Indians Women (eight points each) attempt to eclipse the Delhi Capitals Women (10 points) at the top of the log for automatic entry to the final.

UP WARRIORZ: Grace Harris, Georgia Voll, Kiran Navgire, Deepti Sharma (captain), Chinelle Henry, Shweta Sehrawat, Poonam Khemnar, Uma Chetry (wkt), Sophie Ecclestone, Kranti Goud, Anjali Sarvani.

RCB WOMEN: Smriti Mandhana (captain), Sabbhineni Meghana, Ellyse Perry, Raghvi Bist, Richa Ghosh (wkt), Kanika Ahuja, Georgis Wareham, Chalotte Dean, Kim Garth, Sneh Rana, Renuka Singh Thakur