WPL 2024: How Grace Harris scripted UP Warriorz’s heist against Delhi Capitals

UP Warriorz' Australia batting allrounder Grace Harris. (Photo: ESPNcricinfo)

“I guess, it’s a good season to film a doco now, isn’t it?” quipped Grace Harris, the Australia batting allrounder, who was tasked with defending 10 runs off the last over by UP Warriorz captain Alyssa Healy against the table-leading Delhi Capitals on Friday night. And defend she did: 6, 2, W, W, W – and Warriorz had scripted an unlikely one-run win defending a below-par 138 with one ball remaining to keep their playoffs dreams alive at the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024.

“For me, I think this [finish] ranks fairly high. Maybe, number two?” said Harris, who bowls offspin, after the match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, in which her only over on the night proved to be the most decisive and game-changing one. “I think my batting innings against Gujarat Giants in WPL 1 is still one of the freakiest things I’ve ever seen. We needed 50-odd runs from the last four overs and I was looking to get us as close as possible. I didn’t even think we’d win at one stage.

“Tonight, my economy is not that low with the ball. It’s not my main skill, I will say that. So, for defending 10 off the last, I came in with low expectations of myself and that probably also helps. If you feel the batter is under more pressure to win the game, you can think clearly and go, “Nah, I am going to execute these and if it comes off, it comes off, otherwise it’s not supposed to anyway.”

Harris got clobbered for a six first ball as No. 9 Radha Yadav whacked one over deep midwicket. The India left-arm spinner then ran a couple and even reviewed a full toss that she contended was above the waist. But the umpire’s on-field call was upheld and the second delivery wasn’t adjudged a no-ball. What followed was a bizarre implosion: Radha chopped on, set batter Jess Jonassen was run out at the wicketkeeper's end for a five-ball 11 as striker Taniya Bhatia tried stealing a single and then No. 11 lobbed up a dolly to substitute fielder Danni Wyatt at mid-on off the penultimate ball. Game over.

“I did not ask for the ball in the last over,” Harris, 30, revealed. “Midge (captain Healy) said it was either me or Tahlia McGrath [who bowls pace]. I was kind of thinking like, ‘That’s a different bowler that we are.’ I just went with it and thought I had to land it on the wicket. When Radha Yadav charged at me, I did try and go for the yorker and missed it and got a full toss.

“So, I thought I’d be in trouble there. My main concern was that I had not bowled a single over before that. As a fresh person who had just been boundary-riding up until then, when Midge said, ‘Warm up,’ I was like, ‘Warm up? It’s cold out here (sniggers). I’ve got only six balls. Just embrace every opportunity, just roll with it and be grateful you get to have a crack. That’s how I rolled into it.”

Remarkably, the cameras were rolling, too. The Warriorz are making a documentary on their WPL 2024 season, and the nail-biter on Friday would have given the makers enough to amp up the drama in the film.