The second round of matches in the ongoing Women’s Hundred tournament is complete, and among the four Indian players, only two got an opportunity to play. The clash between Sunrisers Leeds and Southern Brave on July 25 saw Deepti Sharma (Sunrisers Leeds) take on her India teammate Jemimah Rodrigues (Southern Brave) in Leeds. Both teams entered the match after winning their respective tournament openers. While Deepti struggled with the ball, Jemimah bounced back with a match-winning knock after a disappointing start to the tournament.
Against Sunrisers Leeds, Jemimah made sure she did not repeat the mistakes from her previous outing, grabbing the opportunity with both hands. She remained unbeaten on 42 off 34 balls to guide Southern Brave to the 117-run target with five wickets in hand and four balls to spare.
The chase, however, was far from straightforward. Brave slipped to 36/3 after losing early wickets, including Lizelle Lee and Laura Wolvaardt. At that stage, Rodrigues had managed just two runs off seven deliveries.
She first steadied the innings with a vital 35-run partnership alongside captain Sophie Molineux. Although Jemimah struggled to find her rhythm early on, she ensured one end remained secure. When Molineux was dismissed for 21 off 17 balls, Jemimah had scored only 15 from 22 deliveries.
Jodi Grewcock then joined Jemimah, and together they stitched an unbeaten 39-run stand to seal the victory. During that partnership, Rodrigues shifted gears brilliantly, smashing 27 runs from her next 12 balls. Her back-to-back boundaries off Sunrisers captain Dani Gibson proved to be the defining moment of the chase.
Rodrigues eventually finished the match in style, sealing the win with a reverse sweep off Jess Jonassen.
It was another slow surface, but unlike her previous outing, Rodrigues displayed excellent composure. She absorbed the pressure, built crucial partnerships and accelerated at the perfect time before remaining unbeaten to take Southern Brave over the line.
For Deepti, her contribution with the bat was equally important. She scored a valuable 23 off 15 balls, helping Sunrisers Leeds cross the 110-run mark after a mini-collapse in the middle phase. However, she could not replicate that impact with the ball, conceding 22 runs from 15 balls without taking a wicket. But she took a outstanding forward divine catch, showcasing her agility once again.
But, this bowling inconsistency could be a concern. A similar pattern emerged during the recent Women’s T20 World Cup. Deepti began the tournament with a five-wicket haul against Pakistan in Birmingham, but in the next four matches, she managed only two wickets while conceding 124 runs in 15 overs at an economy rate of 8.27. Whether she can overcome that inconsistency in the upcoming games will be something to watch.
Meanwhile, Smriti Mandhana and Richa Ghosh of Manchester Super Giants did not get an opportunity to play as their match against Birmingham Phoenix was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to rain on July 26 in Manchester.
Jemimah (Southern Brave) will next be in action on July 27 against MI London in Southampton. Deepti, on the other hand, will face Smriti and Richa in what promises to be a mouth-watering contest between Sunrisers Leeds and Manchester Super Giants, in Leeds, on July 28.
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The post India Women’s Players Hundred Round-Up: Jemimah Finds Form, Deepti’s Bowling Woes, Rain Plays Spoilport for Smriti-Richa duo appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.
