Ellyse Perry has literally smashed her way to a half-century as Royal Challengers Bangalore defeated UP Warriorz by 23 runs in the WPL.
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The Australian thrilled their fans in Bengaluru with a 37-ball 58 including four sixes, one of which smashed the rear window of a sponsor's car mounted on a stage behind the boundary.
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 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 had 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 and she initially played second fiddle to Mandhana as the pair put on 95 in 64 balls.
After Mandhana finally perished for 80 off 50 balls, Perry cut loose.
She had already hit Grace Harris (0-25) for six. Now she 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 Queenslander, 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 DRS LBW gained by Georgia Wareham (2-38) against Chamari Athapaththu, smote 55 with three sixes. But at 113-4 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 Warriorz ended well short on 8-175 with Molineux yorking the latter off the last ball.
Australian Associated Press
