WPL 2023: Grace Harris’ power, Sophie Ecclestone calmness sink Gujarat Giants

UP Warriorz with their three-wicket win against Gujarat joined Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals in the WPL playoffs

On a day she became the leading wicket-taker of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), Sophie Ecclestone (19* - 13b) also held her nerve in the final over with the bat to help UP Warriorz prevail over Gujarat Giants in a nail-biting finish at the Brabourne stadium on Monday.

UP Warriorz player Grace Harris plays a shot during the Women's Premier League T20 cricket match between UP Warriorz and Gujarat Giants (PTI)

With two runs needed off two balls, Ecclestone’s paddle for four to fine leg sealed the deal. UPW became the third team to confirm their place in the playoffs with the three-wicket win.

In their final league game, GG gave a good account of themselves with the bat under the afternoon sun, posting 178/6. In reply, during the powerplay, UPW were reduced to 39/3 inside five overs. But the Australian duo of Grace Harris and Tahlia McGrath with a 53-ball 78-run fourth wicket partnership were determined not to let the match slip.

The GG bowlers had been at the receiving end of Harris’ power-game in a previous encounter, during her whirlwind knock of 59*. Her 72 (41b, 7x4, 4x6) on Monday was even better on a pitch that provided a little more assistance to the spinners.

Harris’ innings was a sum of two parts. She let McGrath take more risks in the first half of the run chase. In that phase, her boundaries came off deft touches and cut shots. McGrath first took the attack to GG with three inside-out shots against Sneh Rana’s off-spin in the final over of field restrictions.

When McGrath was dismissed for 57 (38b, 11x4) in the 14th over, the asking rate was still a steep 10 runs per over. That’s when Harris decided to become the aggressor, targeting the leg side arc between long on and square leg. The GG bowlers though kept taking the match deep.

But every time the pressure would build, Harris found a way to deliver a boundary hit. She did that as late as the 19th over with her heave over long-on that resulted in a six. With the target reduced to seven runs off eight balls, she was outsmarted by fellow Australian Kim Garth, whose change to the around the wicket angle did the trick. Harris holed out to long on, but Ecclestone’s experience prevailed in the end.

“Grace has been unbelievable. It goes to show how good she has been in situations like that. I know she didn’t make it to the end tonight, but she put us in the winning position,” Ecclestone said after the match. “She’s so calm and collected, she knows what she’s doing.”