Ecclestone stuns RCB in first-ever Super Over in WPL

Ellyse Perry's unbeaten 90 went in vain as Sophie Ecclestone silenced the M Chinnaswamy Stadium with a last-over blitzkrieg before conceding just four runs in the first-ever Super Over to leave RCB with a second successive loss at home.

Openers Smriti Mandhana and Danielle Wyatt-Hodge were cautious at the start of the innings. Wyatt-Hodge smashed over the ropes off a waist-high full toss from Grace Harris, but was dropped at point a few balls later. Mandhana was castled by Deepti Sharma, her 11th dismissal against off spin.

The in-form Perry took the attack to Ecclestone in her first over, clinching two boundaries. She followed it up with a six off Saima Thakor, but despite this, it was a strong bowling performance by UPW in the first ten overs, restricting RCB to 67 for 1. Both batters then found their touch against Deepti in a 14-run over, including one six and one four.

Wyatt-Hodge followed Perry in reaching 50 with a massive six off Ecclestone, but departed soon as she slashed straight to backward-point. Richa Ghosh powered two fours before Chinelle Henry caught her off her own bowling. Kanika Ahuja was run-out by Uma Chetry, and Perry upped the tempo once again, smashing Deepti for 16 runs in an over.

Ecclestone bowled a wonderful final over, conceding just 6 runs as RCB finished on 180 for 6.

The UPW innings commenced with the Kiran Navgire show. Navgire started with two boundaries in the 'V' off Renuka Singh Thakur, but her innings was cut short, castled by a booming in-swinger from Renuka. Deepti continued to take the attack to Garth in another expensive 14-run over.

Deepti went after Sneh Rana, nailing her sweeps for two fours and a six, but was gloved one to the 'keeper to bring her promising innings to an end. Shweta Sehrawat bided her time while Deepti punished Georgia Wareham, but was run out while trying to take two.

RCB landed another major blow with the wicket of Henry, but Ecclestone had other ideas, signalling her intent with two consecutive sixes off Wareham. Saima followed suit with another maximum, but was run out in an attempt to take two. With 18 required off the final over, Ecclestone smashed a juicy full-toss over square-leg and followed it up with another hit over the mid-wicket boundary.

Brief Scores:

• Royal Challengers Bengaluru 180/6 in 20 overs (Ellyse Perry 90*, Danielle Wyatt-Hodge 57; Tahlia McGrath 1-30, Chinelle Henry 1-34) tied with UP Warriorz 180 in 20 overs (Sophie Ecclestone 33, Shweta Sehrawat 31; Sneh Rana 3-27, Renuka Singh Thakur 2-36) – UP Warriorz won the super over

Super over:

• UP Warriorz 8/1 (Chinelle Henry 4, Sophie Ecclestone 1*) beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru 4/0 (Richa Ghosh 2*, Smriti Mandhana 2*) by 4 runs