The Australian thrilled their fans in Bengaluru,making 58 off 37 balls,including four towering sixes,one of which smashed the rear window of a sponsor’s car mounted on a stage behind the boundary.
“She’s got a hold of this again,” the commentator called as the ball sailed through the air.
“She’s smashed a window of the Tata Punch.EV;straight through. Ellyse Perry,they’re going to be sending you a bill.”
In response,Warriorz skipper Alyssa Healy cracked a swift half-century herself. But after she was stumped off Sophie Molineux,UP’s victory chase gradually subsided.
The result moved RCB,playing their final match in front of a home crowd before the event moves to Delhi,to six points,equal top with last year’s finalists Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals,and two ahead of UP.
“It is the best atmosphere I have consistently played in front of in my entire career,” said Perry.
“I had a great chance to get myself in with Smriti[Mandhana] at the other end,and then it was nice at the end to release a few.”
On breaking the car window she added,half-joking:“I was a bit worried. I’m not sure I have insurance over here to cover me. So in a bit of strife there.”
Healy put RCB into bat,but the move backfired with Mandhana and Sabbhineni Meghana cracking 57 off the first 32 balls before the latter holed out for a 21-ball 28. That brought in Perry to the crease,and she initially played second fiddle to Mandhana in a partnership of 95 from 64 balls.
After Mandhana perished for 80 off 50 balls,Perry cut loose.
She had already hit Grace Harris (0-25) for six,and proceeded to hit successive sixes off Rajeshwari Gayakwd,then clouted Deepti Sharma into the sponsor’s car at deep mid-wicket.
Perry was finally out in the last over,caught in the deep off Sophie Ecclestone as RCB made a challenging 3-198.
When Healy played out a maiden in the first over,it looked as if the Australian skipper,who had missed stumping Mandhana on 29,was set for a horror night,but then she found her range.
Off the next 31 balls Healy,visibly fired up by a controversial lbw decision gained on video review by Georgia Wareham (2-38) against Chamari Athapaththu,smote 55 with three sixes. But at 4-113,Molineux (2-29) deceived her in flight and Healy was stumped.
Grace Harris had already departed,brilliantly caught behind the stumps for five.
Though Sharma (33) and Poonam Khemnar kept the chase going for a while,the Warriorz ended well short on 8-175,with Molineux yorking the latter off the last ball.
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