Karnataka wins South Zone Senior Championship

K.S.C.A senior women’s cricket team won the inaugural T N Pillai Senior South Zone Women’s Cricket Championship at Hyderabad. Karnataka won all the five games defeating Kerala, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Hyderabad.

Skipper Mamatha Maben was the most consistent all-round performer while India wicket keeper – bats-woman Karuna Jain, Sindhu Ashok, Deepika Babu, Hema Malini, Vilasini, Shilpa Batra and Mihira Kamath contributed handsomely.

Versus Kerala

Kerala won the toss and elected to bat first. Mamatha Maben ( 2 for 11) gave Karnataka a good start dismissing the openers – caught smartly by Veda and Gayatri in the slips.Kerala recovered from 14 for 2 with a stubborn 85 runs stand between Amsavalli ( 48, 6 fours) and Rency ( 26, 2 fours) before Deepika broke the partnership by getting Amsavalli caught at point by Mamatha Maben. Thereafter, with Vilasini( 3 for 11) and Deepika ( 3 for 34) striking in tandem, Kerala folded up for 136 in 45 overs.

Karnataka lost Hema Malini for four and Sindhu Ashok for 13 but Karuna Jain ( 77 not out , 7 fours ) and Mamatha Maben ( 28 not out, 2 fours) took Karnataka to victory with eight wickets and 14.4 overs to spare

Brief Scores : Kerala C A 136 in 45 overs: (Amsavalli 48, Rency 26, Mamatha Maben 2 for 11, Vilasini 3 for 11, Hema Malini 2 for 31 and Deepika 3 for 34 ) lost to Karnataka 138 for 2 in 35.4 overs ( Karuna Jain 77 not out, Mamatha Maben 28 not out ) by 8 wickets

Versus Goa

Karnataka won the toss and decided to bat first. Hema Malini ( 101 retired, 7 fours ) and Vanitha V R gave Karnataka a good start putting on 47 runs before Vanitha was caught brilliantly in the slips. Sindhu Ashok ( 59, 1 four ) joined Hema and put on 130 runs for the second wicket. Mamatha ( 22 1 four), Deepika Babu ( 34 not out) and Veda Krishnamurthy ( 30 not out ) helped Karnataka score a healthy 301 for 5 in the allotted 50 overs.

Goa batsman found right arm medium pacer Mihira Kamath too hot to handle. Mihira dismissed the top six with her sharp in-swingers ( four clean bowled and two leg before ) Mihira ended with a superb analysis of 08-04-06-06. With leg spinner Deepika picking two wickets, Goa were shot out for a paltry 32 off just 20.4 overs

Brief scores : Karnataka 301 for 5 in 50 overs ; ( Hema Malini 101 rtrd hurt, Sindhu Ashok 59, Mamatha Maben 20, Deepika Babu 34 not out, Veda Krishnamurthy 30 not out, Anuradha 2 for 69, Marlene 2 for 48 ) beat Goa C A 32 all out in 20.4 overs: ( Mihira Kamath 6 for 6, Deepika Babu 2 for 1) by 269 runs

Versus Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu won the toss and invited Karnataka to take first strike.Hema, who scored an unbeaten century against Goa was out for one. Karuna Jain was joined by Sindhu . This pair displayed superb temperament and batted with great responsibility putting on 137 runs before Sindhu was out leg before for a well compiled 53 with just a solitary boundary. While Karuna was going strong on one end , Vilasini and Mamatha Maben tried to step up the run rate on a very heavy and slow out-field where boundaries were hard to score. Karuna was out to a smart catch in the covers for 76 off 105 balls with just one four. Vilasini scored 24 off 23 balls while Mamatha remained unconquered on 22 off 22 deliveries. Karnataka ended at 205 for 6 off the allotted 50 overs.For Tamil Nadu, medium pacer Niranjana and leg spinner Thirush Kamini got two wickets each.

Tamil Nadu made a good start with Thejashree and Thirush Kamini putting on a brisk 50 partnership before Karuna Jain displayed smart reflexes to stump Thejashree in a flash. Kamakshi who joined Thirush ran quick singles and had added 37 runs for the second wicket when Mamatha fielded brilliantly and hit the stumps directly to have Kamakshi run out. Tamil Nadu never recovered from there on and were finally dismissed for 130 runs off 41.4 overs. Mamatha, Vilasini and Gayatri picked two wickets each while Karnataka girls got three runs outs through some sharp fielding. Thanks to a brilliant team effort Karnataka won by a convincing margin of 75 runs.

Brief Scores : Karnataka 205 for 6 in 50 overs : ( Karuna Jain 76, Sindhu Ashok 53, Vilasini 24, Mamatha Maben 22 not out, Niranjana 2 for 28 and Thirush Kamini 2 for 54) beat Tamil Nadu 130 all out in 41.4 overs ( Thirush kamini 37, Thejashree 28, Kamakshi 28, Mamatha Maben 2 for 20, Vilasini 2 for 29 and Gayatri 2 for 17 ) by 75 runs

Versus Andhra Pradesh

Andhra won the toss and chose to take first strike. The Karnataka bowlers bowled a tight line and length and picked wickets at regular intervals. With Shilpa Batra, Mamatha, Sunitha and Deepika picking two wickets each, Andhra were shot out for 85 off 43.3 overs.

Karnataka scored the required runs with eight wickets and 20 overs to spare. Karuna ( 28, 3 fours), Deepika ( 17 not out ) and Hema Malini ( 29, 1 four ) scored for Karnataka.

Brief Scores: Andhra Pradesh C A 85 all out in 43.3 overs : ( Vani 19, Rameshwari 16, Mamatha 2 for 21, Shilpa 2 for 10, Sunitha 2 for 20 and Deepika Babu 2 for 4) Lost to Karnataka 86 for 2 in 30 overs ( Hema Malini 29, Karuna Jain 28 not out, Deepika Babu 17 not out) by 8 wickets

Versus Hyderabad

Karnataka and Hyderabad had both won all four games this far and were playing a virtual finals at the Uppal Stadium.

Hyderabad won the toss and got off to a flying start before Mihira Kamath produced a beauty to clean bowl Vanitha Viola. Revathi, the other opener, was on song scoring at will. In three productive overs she got 13 off Gayatri , 12 off Shilpa and 10 off Deepika before leg spinner Vilasini castled her for 47 which contained 8 boundaries. Mamatha Maben with some astute leadership and some good fielding by the Karnataka lasses applied pressure on the Hyderabad batters. Mamatha also bowled a superb spell of 07-00-18-03 and was well supported by spinners Deepika Babu, Shilpa Batra, Sunitha and Vilasini. Hyderabad were finally dismissed for 137 off 44.5 overs.

Karnataka got off to a very slow start. Under pressure, Karnataka lost wickets at regular intervals. But skipper Mamatha Maben stood like a rock and displayed her talent , brought all her experience to the fore and thwarted the sharp Hyderabad attack. Mamatha remained unbeaten on a hard fought 52 with two hits to the fence. She had small but useful partnerships with Deepika Babu , Veda Krishnamurthy and Shilpa Batra.

Brief Scores : Hyderabad C A 137 all out in 44.5 overs ( Revathi 47, Diana David 28, Mamatha Maben 3 for 18, Deepika Babu 2 for 33 ) Lost to Karnataka 138 for 7 in 48.1 overs ( Mamatha Maben 52 not out, Karuna Jain 18, Deepika Babu 13, Gauhar Sultana 3 for 11, Diana David 2 for 34 and Shravanti 2 for 28) by 3 wickets

KARANATAKA WON BY THREE WICKETS WITH 11 BALLS TO SPARE