PANAJI
Uttarakhand cruised to a 5-wicket win against Goa in the second round 'D' Group fixture in the Senior Women's One-day Trophy at Amingaon Cricket Ground, Guwahati on Saturday.
Asked to bat first, Goa were restricted to 199-8 on a challenging wicket. Opener Purvaja Verlekar top-scored with 81 (114b, 11x4, 1x6) while Sanjula Naik struck a fine 49 (53b, 5x4). Goa were reeling at 132-6 midway through the 40th over when middle-order bat Sanjula found an ally in Poorva Bhaidkar to raise a crucial seventh-wicket stand of 53 runs in quick time. Bhaidkar made a useful 25. In the Uttarakhand attack, Anjali Kathait, Pooja Raj and Sarika Koli claimed two wickets each.
In reply, Uttarakhand got off to a sound start with their openers, Reena Jindal and Raghvi, who made a quick 39, providing a 47 runs platform. India international Punam Raut at one-down held firm notwithstanding a stumble and her team at 78-4 in the 21st over. Raut on 8 (19b) was joined by keeper-batter Nandini Kashyap and they applied themselves for a repair job.
Kashyap was eventually scalped by Diksha Gawde for a well-made 34 (51b, 5x4) and by then realised a fifth-wicket stand of 62 runs (60b) that set Uttarakhand back on course in the chase. Raut with a composed unbeaten 57 (85b, 4x4) saw her side comfortably over the line with six overs to spare along with her captain and another India player, Ekta Bisht, who struck a 28-ball 37 laced with five boundaries and a maximum. The unbroken sixth-wicket association between Raut and Bisht added 63 runs (60b). For Goa, right-arm offbreak Diksha Gawde was the pick of the bowlers with 2-45 in her quota.
