Matthews all-round effort not good enough against RCB

DELHI, India (CMC):

WEST INDIES Women’s captain Hayley Matthews helped give Mumbai Indians Women a strong start with both bat and ball, but a player-of-the-match performance from ace Australia all-rounder Elyse Perry blew them away, and Royal Challengers Bangalore Women romped to a seven-wicket win in the Women’s Premier League yesterday in India.

Matthews made 26 and fellow opener Sajeevan Sanjana hit the top score of 30, but were the only two batsmen to pass 20 before a destructive spell from Perry undermined the MI Women’s batting. The MI Women would eventually be bowled out for 113 in exactly 19 overs after they were put in to bat in their final preliminary match of the Twenty20 tournament at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Perry ended with six for 15 from her four overs, the best bowling performance in the brief history of the WPL.

Matthews then got the breakthrough for MI Women with her off-spin when she had Australia international Sophie Molineux stumped for nine in the fourth over, RCB Women labouring to 39 for two at the close of the Power Play. The dismissal of New Zealand all-rounder Sophie Devine in the next over left them scrambling on 39 for three.

Matthews ended with one for 11 from two overs – but Perry capped a memorable all-round performance with 40 not out off 38 balls that helped RCB Women complete a successful run chase with 30 balls remaining in the contest.

Perry shared an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 76 with Richa Ghosh, whose 36 not out off 28 balls included four fours and two sixes.

The result meant that RCB Women ended the preliminary phase of the tournament third on eight points, two behind second-placed MI Women, snuffing out the playoff hopes of Gujarat Giants Women and Uttar Pradesh Warriorz Women in the five-team tournament.

Leaders Delhi Capitals Women face the Giants in the final preliminary match of the tournament today at the same venue to determine the final placings and who will meet MI Women in the elimination final on Friday, also at the AJ Stadium.

On current net run rate, RCB Women and MI Women are likely to meet again in the elimination final for a place in the final on Sunday at the same venue.