Women’s T20 Challenge: Velocity vs Trailblazers Review – Ecclestone stars as Trailblazers win by 9 wickets

After a thrilling win over Supernovas on Wednesday, Velocity took the field in an afternoon game on Thursday against Trailblazers. However, the Mithali Raj-led side wouldn’t have even dreamt of what transpired on the field, courtesy a certain Sophie Ecclestone.

After opting to bat first, they began decently with Shafali Verma smashing Jhulan Goswami for a four and a six. But the veteran bowler came back stunningly to castle the teenager and then what followed was just a complete harakiri from Velocity’s batters. Sophie Ecclestone just ran through their line-up picking wickets at will. She got hold of the conditions and delivered for her team nipping out the likes of Mithali Raj, Veda Krishnamurthy and Sushma Verma in her first spell.

Wickets continued to fall with Rajeshwari Gayakwad keeping a lid on the run-scoring and picking two wickets. Danielle Wyatt was at the other end watching the collapse. She was expected to take charge but even she played a poor shot off Goswami to leave the team reeling.

It was thanks to Shikha Pandey and Leigh Kasperek that Velocity managed to reach 47 even as fittingly, Ecclestone ended the innings picking her fourth wicket. She returned magical figures of 4/9 in her four overs while Gayakwad (2/13) and Goswami (2/13) along with Deepti Sharma (1/8) also bowled well.

The 48-run chase was never going to challenge the power-packed Trailblazers line-up. Deandra Dottin made her intentions clear from the word get-go. Smriti Mandhana’s return to the field was cut short by Kasperek for just six runs. But then Dottin and Richa Ghosh made sure that there were no more hiccups as Trailblazers got over the line in the 8th over of the innings to bag two crucial points.

Records/Personal Milestones

• Sophie Ecclestone registered her best figures (4/9) in T20 cricket

Way Ahead

Trailblazers will now face Supernovas in the final league game of the tournament on Saturday in Sharjah. Velocity, on the other hand, will be supporting Smriti Mandhana and co as if Supernovas lose, they go through to the final.