WPL: Bowlers’ wiles and Jemimah’s calm steer Delhi Capitals past UP Warriorz to eliminator

An all-round bowling effort, followed by their big guns in batting leading the way, take Delhi Capitals to the Eliminator with a win over UP Warriorz

They made heavy weather of it, but () booked their spot in Tuesday’s Eliminator against Gujarat Giants (GG) by defeating UP Warriorz by five wickets in Vadodara on Sunday. A target of 123 made them heavy favourites, but they did have some anxious moments and it was left to skipper Jemimah Rodrigues to calm the nerves, guiding her team over the line in the penultimate over.

The winner of the DC-GG game will face in the Women’s Premier League final on February 5.

Well begun is half done, and DC virtually sealed a spot in the Eliminator when they had GG at 52/5 at just about the halfway mark of the innings. Marizanne Kapp is consistency and reliability personified with the ball and, more often than not, hard to get away. Her wicket-taking ability is also nothing to scoff at.

The South African star rose to the occasion in a crucial match, getting the wickets of Deepti Sharma – who has been pushed up to the opener’s slot in the last couple of games – Aussie Charlie Knott, playing her first game in the WPL, and the dangerous Deandra Dottin.

The three wickets speak of Kapp’s versatility as a seam bowler. Knott was dismissed by a short ball which was nicked to the wicketkeeper, Deepti was foxed by a slower delivery and caught at extra cover, while Dottin was pinned in front by a sharp in-dipper.

Kapp’s spell of 3/30 in four overs, which finished inside the first 10 overs, put DC firmly in the box seat.

She had good support from the other end from Chinelle Henry, who trapped UPW skipper Meg Lanning in front off the first ball of the game and then got rid of Simran Sheikh, who threatened to take her team to a fighting score.

With left-arm spinner Shree Charani being as impressive as ever – scalping Harleen Deol in a spell of 2/22 in four overs – UPW never got away. None of their batters got to 25, and the highest partnership in the innings was the 29-run stand between Knott and Deepti for the second wicket before Shikha Pandey (23 not out off 13 balls) put on 28 for the unbroken ninth wicket with Sophie Ecclestone.

The asking rate wasn’t too challenging, but after Lizelle Lee got out cheaply, Shafali Verma and Laura Wolvaardt ensured there were no further hiccups for some time. Their 73-run partnership off 64 balls didn’t allow UPW to harbour any hopes. Shafali is known for big hits, but even though there were a few characteristic shots, her innings of 29 took 33 balls and displayed an impressive level of maturity and appraisal of the match situation.

Wolvaardt, on the other hand, played some delightful strokes in her 36-ball 47 and her seven fours never allowed the UPW bowlers to put any run-rate pressure on DC.

However, both of them got out within two overs of each other and 84/1 suddenly became 101/5 as Kapp and Henry came to the middle and went back in quick succession.

It was here that Jemimah took hold of the situation with a calm 18-ball 34 to keep DC’s streak of making the playoffs in every WPL edition intact.

Brief scores: UP Warriorz 122/8 in 20 overs (Deepti Sharma 24; Marizanne Kapp 3/30) lost to Delhi Capitals 126/5 in 18.4 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 47, Jemimah Rodrigues 34 not out, Shafali Verma 29; Deepti Sharma 2/27) by 5 wickets.

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