UP Warriorz faced their second consecutive home defeat against Mumbai Indians, impacting their playoff chances. However, a bright spot for the team was Australian player Georgia Voll, who recently joined as a replacement for Chamari Athapaththu.
In only her second WPL game, Voll showcased her talent by scoring a rapid 55 runs off 33 balls, including 12 fours, giving Warriorz a strong start. Unfortunately, the rest of the batting lineup couldn’t maintain the momentum, limiting the team to 150 for 9.
Voll expressed her excitement about making an early impact in the tournament. She mentioned that joining the WPL was a dream come true and a pleasant surprise. She humorously added that it was also a welcome break from apartment renovations she had left to her family.
Reflecting on her journey, Voll recounted receiving the call to join the team and the difficult decision to miss the state WNCL final. While acknowledging her initial disappointment at not contributing in the first game, she was pleased with her performance in this match, even though it wasn’t enough for a win.
UP Warriorz changed their strategy by including two overseas players as openers, which initially seemed effective. Despite Grace Harris struggling to find her form, the middle order faltered under pressure. Voll remains optimistic about her teammates’ future performances.
Voll believes the team is working hard and that success is just around the corner, especially considering the youthfulness of the squad. She understands her teammates’ disappointment in not contributing but sees it as a learning opportunity for future games.
Towards the end of the Warriorz innings, Mumbai Indians faced a penalty for slow over-rate, leading to a heated discussion between captain Harmanpreet Kaur and the umpire, which also involved Sophie Ecclestone.
Voll found the over-rate penalty incident amusing, describing herself as an “angry aunt” watching the situation unfold. She understood it was about the fielding restrictions due to the over-rate, which Harmanpreet Kaur seemed unhappy about despite being behind schedule.
Amelia Kerr elaborated on the incident, stating she tried to de-escalate the situation between the passionate captains, Harmanpreet and Ecclestone. Kerr confirmed it was about the over-rate and emphasized the team’s need to improve their pace to avoid penalties that could benefit the batting team later in the competition.
Kerr, after taking five wickets and causing the Warriorz’s batting collapse, surprisingly opened for Mumbai Indians. Although she scored only 10 runs, this change hints at a potential shift in her batting position, similar to her role for New Zealand and other teams.
Kerr enjoyed the opportunity to open, despite not scoring big, mentioning it aligns with her usual batting position and helps accommodate a left-hander in the middle order. She indicated this could be a continuing strategy.
