NEW DELHI: Ellyse Perry starred with the ball with a three-wicket haul as Royal Challengers Bangalore bowled UP Warriorz out for a paltry 135 in 19.3 overs in their Women's Premier League (WPL) match at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Wednesday.
Perry returned figures of 3/16 in 4 overs despite being introduced late in the game, whereas Sophie Devine (4-0-23-2), Sobhana Asha (4-0-27-2) and Megan Schutt (4-0-21-1) bowled impressive spells to raise hopes of RCB's maiden win after five consecutive defeats.
UP Warriorz, who were reduced to 31/5 and the first 10 overs yielding a mere 43 runs, were given a much-needed boost by Harris and Deepti Sharma (22) with a gritty fightback.
Harris and Deepti dragged UP Warriorz back in the contest with a 42-ball 69-run stand for the sixth wicket, which did take them past the 100-run mark but Perry got rid of both the set batters in the 16th over to put RCB in charge again.
After dismissing Deepti and Harris in space of three balls, Perry cleaned up Shweta Sehrawat (6) to dent UP Warriorz hopes of reaching a challenging score.
Harris made the most of a lifeline when RCB wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh missed a regulation stumping chance off Asha's bowling in the 11th over when the batter was on nine, eventually finishing at 46 off 32 balls with five fours and two sixes.
UP Warriorz made a disastrous start in the first over with Devine trapping Devika Vaidya (0) leg-before on a delivery that swung in, and three balls later, the in-form Alyssa Healy (1) chipped one straight to Asha.
Schutt added to UP Warriorz's woes when she had Tahlia McGrath (2) caught by Ghosh, leaving them reeling at 5/3.
At the end of the powerplay, UP Warriorz were 29/3 with Navgire contributing with 22 of those. But her resistance was soon ended by Asha in the seventh over, with Navgire mis-hitting a sweep to be caught for 22 off 26 with two fours and a six.
Asha added another wicket to her kitty in the ninth over with Simran Sheikh (2) caught at short mid-wicket off a mis-hit.
The right-arm spinner nearly had her third wicket when she found an edge off Deepti's bat, but Devine could not hold onto a tough chance at the first slip.
(With inputs from PTI)
