LETHAL BOWLING by Bhopal’s Shweta Mishra enabled MP senior cricket team defeat Uttar Pradesh by a big margin of 124 runs in the Central Zone Senior Women’s Cricket Tournament organised in Bhilai on Tuesday.
Mishra was adjudged ‘Man of the Match’. After being ignored in the earlier matches, Shweta, in her early teens, was selected in the final eleven for the match against UP. Winning the toss, MP team opted to bat first. With the help of two good half centuries each by Ketki and Ritika, MP managed to set a 227-run target for the opponents. Ketki and Ritika scored 61 and 51 respectively.
Defending the reachable total, Shweta was asked by the MP skipper to open the bowling attack. All-rounder Shweta dealt three early blows to the strong UP team from which it could never recover and was all out for 102.
She first baffled opener and UP captain Aprajita by her swinging delivery.
Aprajita was caught behind. She had scored two consecutive half centuries in earlier matches and has played for national team.
After claiming the opponent skipper’s wicket, Shweta dealt the second blow by scalping the wicket of Radhika in her second over.
{{/usCountry}}After claiming the opponent skipper’s wicket, Shweta dealt the second blow by scalping the wicket of Radhika in her second over.
{{/usCountry}}Shweta compounded UP’s problems by claiming her third wicket in the fourth over. This time her victim was her namesake Shweta who had scored 70 in the last match against Uttaranchal.
After losing three crucial wickets for just 17 runs, UP failed to recover and lost all wickets for 102 runs. On being asked, Shweta’s father Uraj Mishra said that she has been consistent on the field. “She was the player of the tournament in the recent school-level tournament.
She has immense talent. If Shweta gets the opportunity of representing the national team, she would do wonders”, said the happy father.
At present Shweta is the only player from Bhopal selected in the senior State team for Central Zone.