Bengaluru, Mar 2 (IANS): After starring in UP Warriorz’ six-wicket win over Gujarat Giants in WPL 2024 with an unbeaten 60 off 33 balls, all-rounder Grace Harris said she has learnt to control her nerves better with age in terms of finishing games in T20s.
In chasing 143, UP Warriorz were in trouble at 90/4, before Grace pulled off a brilliant knock laced with nine fours and two sixes at a strike-rate of 181.82 to complete the chase in 15.4 overs.
Grace is now the leading run-getter of the competition and in Friday’s match, also shared a match-winning 53-run partnership with Deepti Sharma, who remained not out on 17. "One ball at a time really. I try not to get too flustered or frustrated. As I have got older, I have learnt to control my nerves. I am really enjoying it with UP Warriorz, embracing role in the middle order. I love India!” she said after the match ended.
Speaking about her partnership with Deepti, Grace said, “Deepti and I have come together a couple of times in bigger partnerships. Left-right works, Deepti sticks to her strengths, and we complement each other well. If we keep going as we are, we should be winning a few more games."
Asked about the work done on her bowling, Grace said, “I have probably bowled a few too many slot balls. But I love how it is going, and am working on it. Any opportunity I get to bowl, I try and take it with both hands.”
Her captain Alyssa Healy was also in praise of Grace’s finishing skills. "We want to play positive and proactive cricket and the way we started in that chase was outstanding. That's why we have players of the quality of Grace Harris in the middle order - to get us over the line - and she did that again tonight, which was pretty cool."
Reema Malhotra, the former India women’s cricketer, said to broadcasters JioCinema that Grace is setting a standard for batters on acing the middle and death overs. "They look like the favorites. The best thing for Grace Harris and the UP Warriorz is that she's batting gracefully. She's playing good shots with the understanding that she not only has to build the match but also finish it.”
“The role she's been assigned, she's delivering on it. If you have a match-winner like this, who can bat at any strike rate and play pacers and spinners well, it means they're a complete match-winner. Grace Harris is the prime example of batting well in the middle and death overs."