NEW DELHI: Sophie Ecclestone put on an incredible all-around performance to give UP Warriorz a thrilling victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the first-ever Super Over of the Women’s Premier League in Bengaluru on Monday
Sent into bat Ellyse Perry and Danni Wyatt-Hodge shone brilliantly, leading RCB to 180 for six.
While opener Wyatt-Hodge made 57, Perry hammered an undefeated 90 off 56 balls.
However, Ecclestone demonstrated her batting prowess by scoring 33 off 19 balls to aid UP, recording economical figures of 4-0-29-0. After a spectacular comeback, Warriorz tied the match and advanced to the Super Over, where they prevailed.
In Kim Garth’s super over, UP Warriorz only scored eight runs.
Richa Ghosh and RCB captain Smriti Mandhana then had the task of chasing down the nine-run mark against Ecclestone, but the English cricketer prevailed with only four runs given up.
Earlier, RCB lost Mandhana as she was bowled by Deepti Sharma in the fourth over.
Perry then teamed up with Wyatt-Hodge, and the two of them scored 94 runs in 65 balls for the second wicket.
Perry kept the RCB going as Richa Ghosh (8), Kanika Ahuja (5), and Georgia Wareham (8) failed to contribute.
For UP Warriorz, Tahlia McGrath (1/30), Chinelle Henry (1/34) and Deepti (1/42) each claimed a wicket.
UP Warriorz never gained traction in chasing the target, losing wickets frequently.
Scoring 30 runs between them in 2.5 overs, openers Kiran Navgire (24) and Dinesh Vrinda (14) got off to a strong start before both departed in quick succession.
The first to leave was Navgire, who was bowled by Renuka Singh. Vrinda attempted to hit a fullish delivery over the circle but was caught by Mandhana at mid-off. Renuka returned an over later to dismiss her.
Off-spinner Sneh Rana took two wickets in a row, of Tahila McGrath and UP Warriorz captain Deepti Sharma (25 off 13).
Richa Ghosh stumped McGrath and Ghosh beautifully caught Deepti behind the stumps.
With a brilliant 25-ball 31 that featured four boundaries Shweta Sehrawat did her best to keep UP Warriorz in the hunt but was caught by Ghosh as the batter attempted to fish a wide leg stump delivery.
With figures of 3/27, Rana was the best bowler for the RCB, while Kim Garth (2/40) and Renuka Singh (2/36) each claimed two wickets.
Perry also made a contribution with the ball following her heroics with the bat.
Ecclestone struck Renuka for two straight sixes and a boundary to reduce the equation to 2 off 2 with 18 needed off the last over.
The young Kranti Goud was left to complete the chase after Ecclestone took a single. However, Ghosh ran out Ecclestone, and UP Warriorz advanced to the Super Over for the first time in WPL history after finishing at 180 all out.
