Goa beat Bengal to emerge women’s Plate group champions

Kolkata, Dec 27: Goa rode on India international Shikha Pandey's half century and disciplined bowling efforts from Santoshi Rane and Sunanda Yetrekar to thrash Bengal by 37 runs and emerge champions in Plate Group of the Senior Women's One Day League at the Eden Gardens here on Tuesday.

Goa skipper Shikha led from the front top scoring with 66 off 89 balls (8×4, 1×6) to take them to 147/9 after Bengal opted to bowl.

Nisha Maji (3/31) and Gayatri Mal (2/20) gave Bengal regular breakthroughs but the Goan captain and Bharati Gaonkar (32 not out off 78 balls; 1×4) ensured that they batted the full 50 overs.

In reply, medium pacer Santoshi (3/24) and leg-spinner Sunanda (3/13) ripped through the Bengal batting and the hosts were bundled out for 110 in 43.5 overs, with Shikha producing a superb bowling display returning with figures of 8-5-5-0.

Paramita Roy top-scored for Bengal with 42 before being run out by Sunanda while in the next ball Santoshi sealed the issue in the 44th over dismissing Bengal skipper Jhulan Goswami for seven.

Back from a wrist injury, the veteran India pacer Jhulan (1/13) could only bowl seven overs in the first innings.

By qualifying for the final, both Goa and Bengal will be promoted to the Elite group next year.

Brief Scores:  Goa 147/9 in 50 overs (Shikha Pandey 66; Nisha Maji 3/31, Gayatri Mal 2/20) beat Bengal 110 in 43.5 overs (Paramita Roy 42; Sunanda Yetrekar 3/13, Santoshi Rane 3/24) by 37 runs.