Vanka Pooja, who has been named skipper of the Hyderabad Under-23 team, and Kunchala Niteesha helped Hyderabad end their campaign on a winning note in the BCCI Senior Woomen’s One-Day Trophy at the Usha Martin ground in Ranchi on Wednesday. Hyderabad won by three wickets.
Chasing 214 for victory, Hyderabad made a good start with G Trisha and Sandhya Gora adding 45 off 54 balls before Trisha fell to Reena M after making a 29-ball 28 with six fours. Sandhya (22) too went soon after as Hyderabad were reduced to 55 for two and the fears of the previous games surfaced.
But Niteesha and Pooja steadied the innings with a century partnership. They took the score to 162 before both of them fell within one run. The partnership was worth 107 off 139 balls with Pooja scoring a 58-ball 60 and Niteesha making a 81-ball 46.
Niteesha went first as she was caught by T Dharani off Hirva V after making 48 off 94 balls with five fours. Pooja went soon after as she was caught and bowled by Hira V after making 60 with seven fours.
Hyderabad still needed 51 runs and skipper Vellore Mahesh Kavya (6) and T Krishnaveni (10 retired hurt) made things worse for Hyderabad. But wicketkeeper K Nidhi scored a 27-ball 24 with a four to help Hyderabad reach 214 for seven off the last ball of the winnings.
Earlier, Saurashtra got a good start with openers Umeshwari Jethava (25) and Riddhi Ruparel (32) scoring 44 for the first wicket before the former fell to P Parvathi.
Saraswavti K (15) and Riddhi added 27 for the second wicket and Saurashtra reached 94 for three. Hirva (29) Ayushi P then added 48 for the fourth wicket. After which Ayushi and N Chavda added 47 for the fifth wicket.
Ayushi fell after making a 70-ball 53 with four boundaries and Chavda remained unbeaten on a 30-ball 33 with three fours as Saurashtra made 213 for six. Kavya took two for 28 for Hyderabad.
Brief scores: Saurashtra 213 for six in 50 overs (Umeshwari Jethva 25, Ridhi Ruparel 32, Hirva V 29, Ayushi P 53, N Chavda 33 not out; Vellore Mahesh Kavya 2/28) lost to Hyderabad 214 for seven in 50 overs (G Trisha 28, Sandhya Gora 22, Kunchala Niteesha 48, Vanka Pooja 60, K Nidhi 24; N Chavda 3/25, Hirva V 2/41).
