Chandigarh: HPCA women team defeated Punjab Women Senior team by 70 runs to clinch the 2nd Rama Atray Memorial Cricket Trophy at GMSSS Sector 26 Chandigarh on Thursday.

Winning the toss and electing to bat HPCA women team posted 179 for 7 in the allotted 50 overs. Their charge was led by an opening partnership of 90 runs between Neena Chaudhary and Harleen Deol in 27.2 overs. Harleen Deol was the first to go as she came out to drive Sunita to be stumped by wicket keeper Taniya Bhatia for 41 off 94 balls inclusive of 5 boundaries.

Neena Chaudhary continued to keep one end up and in company of Shivani Sharma added 39 runs for the 3rd wicket in 14 overs. The 3rd wicket partnership was broken when Shivani Sharma was run out by Rewa Arora. Neena Chaudhary went on to score 68 off 134 balls inclusive of 2 boundaries. For Punjab Sunita Rani 3 for 19 Mehak Kesar 1 for 40 and Parveen Khan 1 for 27 shared the spoils.

Replying Punjab put on a tame performance and were skittled out for 109 in 36.1 overs. Jasia G.Wani 27 off 25 balls with 5 boundaries, Taniya Bhatia 15 off 27 balls and Manisha 16 off 35 balls put up some symbolic resistance for Punjab.

For Himachal Tanuja 3 for 7, Nikita 3 for 11 and Renuka Singh 2 for 28 did most of the damage.

Anurag Aggarwal, IAS Home Secretary, U.T. gave away the trophies to the winners and runners up and lauded the efforts of the organizers to promote women cricket.

Neena Chaudhary of HPCA was declared women of the match for her knock of 68 runs while Rewa Arora of Punjab for her tally of 133 runs won the best batswomen award while the best bowler award went to left arm spinner Tanuja of HPCA for tally of 11 wickets.