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Australian Meg Lanning and Annabel Sutherland led the Delhi Capitals towards a tense seven-wicket victory over the UP Warriorz at Vadodara’s Kotambi Stadium on Wednesday.
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The Capitals reeled in a 167-run target, the team’s highest successful run chase in Women’s Premier League history, with one ball to spare courtesy of captain Lanning’s stylish 69 (49), which featured 12 boundaries, and Sutherland’s unbeaten 41 (35).
The reigning Belinda Clark Award recipient, who was gifted an extra life on 23 when spinner Sophie Eccelstone dropped a regulation catch at mid-off, also claimed two wickets in a player-of-the-match performance, dismissing both of the Warriorz’s openers in a spell of 2-26 from four overs.
“I just try to find out what’s working as early as possible,” Sutherland said.
“It’s tough for bowlers at times. Sometimes it’s your day, sometimes it’s not.”
Ecclestone, who claimed 1-31 during the run chase, also dropped multiple chances in the recent Women’s Ashes campaign in Australia, where England suffered an unprecedented 16-0 whitewash.
Kiran Navgire, who cracked a 24-ball fifty, and Dinesh Vrinda combined for a 66-run opening partnership after Delhi won the toss and chose to bowl first before Sutherland broke the stand in the sixth over, sparking a brief collapse of 4-16 from 24 deliveries.
Shweta Sehrawat (37 from 33 balls) and Chinelle Henry (33 not out from 15 balls) steered the Warriorz towards a defendable total, with Australian spinner Jess Jonassen finishing with economical figures of 1-21 from four overs.
Lanning and opening partner Shafli Verma (26 from 16 balls) got the run chase off to a flying start before Capitals lost two quick wickets after the Powerplay. However, Sutherland and South African all-rounder Marizanne Kapp (29 not out from 17 balls) held their nerve towards the backend, clobbering 32 runs from the final three overs to secure a crucial victory.
Australian all-rounder Tahlia McGrath, tasked with bowling the last over, fumbled what should have been a regulation run out at the non-striker’s on the penultimate delivery of the match, which gifted Delhi the winning run.
“We like a close finish, happy to be on the right side of it,” Lanning said.
“There’s always areas to improve, but I feel this was our best performance of the tournament so far.”
The Warriorz, having suffered their second straight defeat, were guilty of three dropped catches and sloppy misfields, including a comical error from Australian duo Grace Harris and Alana King at the deep mid-wicket boundary.
The Capitals, currently second on the WPL standings, will lock horns with the Warriorz again at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday morning at 1am AEDT.
