India Red knocked out of the tournament as Mumbaikars record opening century partnership

 
As India Green got off to a sensational start in the four-day Challenger’s Trophy by opening their 2018 account with a thumping victory over India Red, with bright batting talents- Punam Raut and Jemimah Rodrigues- registering fine half-centuries.
 
One can’t say for sure but the common trend across both games contested thus far has seen the side batting first unable to set a meaty total. In batting first, India Red scampered home no more than a paltry 217 with both openers- Priya Puniya and Deepti Sharma moving on at snail’s pace from the very top of the order.
 
It wasn’t a very encouraging sight to note that batting from the very first ball of the inning, Punia, who had a lifeline when she was grassed for just 17, brought up her fifty from 96 deliveries during the 31st over.
 
But blaming poor batting singularly might not be the wisest thing to note about today’s contest. It wasn’t too difficult to note that India Green’s disciplined and focused bowling throughout the match kept their opposition’ scoring in check.
 
By the half-way stage, India Red could score no more than 70 runs off 25 overs, indicating the kind of difficulty they had to contend with on January 5 at Indore’s Holkar Stadium keenly awaited big heaves and glitzy hits to the fence which would come only in the second inning of the contest.
 
Although no lame contender with the bat, Deepti Sharma’s form at present isn’t particularly experiencing a purple rhythm with the left-hander failing to find the gaps in what was a clear struggle on 22 yards today. Even as a whopping 147 runs came off the last 25 overs, it would never prove to be enough for India Red that saw India Green dominate the proceedings from the word go.
 
While chasing, Punam Raut’s steady rotation of the strike, coupled with the ability to bisect point and cover fielders kept the run rate moving with India Green openers ensuring the game was theirs for the taking from the beginning. But the contest truly belonged to explosive, big-hitting 17-year-old Rodriguez who smacked a 93 ball 84 to emerge as the highlight of a match that flew only one way: toward India Green’s stable.
 
In notching up a feisty 139-run opening stand, the highest so far in the tournament, India Green were cautious at the start, compiling just 40 from 10 overs. It was a busy day for Sushma Verma behind the stumps who carried out cautious, solid glovework in removing Devika Vaidya for a meager 5 after India Green lost their first wicket in the form of Rodriguez.
 
India Green vs India Red
India Red (Sharma 76, Patil 2/42)
India Green (Raut 84*, Sharma 2/47)
India Green win by 8 wickets.