What did coaches Jon Lewis and James Foster share post Warriorz’s heavy loss to Giants?

Gujarat Giants put on a dominant display to outclass UP Warriorz by 81 runs in Match 15 of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025. The clash at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow saw the Giants not only claim a crucial victory but also climb from fifth to second in the points table. Beth Mooney led from the front with a sensational unbeaten 96 off 59 deliveries, propelling her side to a formidable total of 186/5. In response, UP Warriorz struggled under pressure, losing wickets at regular intervals before being bowled out for just 105. This crushing defeat dropped them to the bottom of the standings, making it a disappointing homecoming.

Head coach of the losing team Jon Lewis acknowledged the questions of the media.

Skipper Mooney set the stage on fire with a brilliant 96 not out. Applauding the innings, Lewis said, “Beth Mooney played a really fantastic innings—really well-paced and played a really nice knock. I felt at halftime, although it was a really good score, I didn’t think it was out of our reach. That would be my fair sort of thought at the time. Obviously, to chase a score like that, you have to play well, and they bowled very well as well. So, I thought, to be fair to them, they bowled well, but they also fielded better than we did.

“I thought the conditions were pretty even throughout, maybe a fraction easier to bat in the first innings. However, the reason behind the decision at the toss was that we felt it would be a pretty good pitch, and with some very short boundaries here, actually understanding what you’ve got to chase, we felt, would be an easier way to do it. And you’ve got to take your hat off to them. I thought, especially their two opening bowlers, they put some pretty big dents into our batting lineup, and once that happens, you’re always behind the game. It’s really tricky to catch up.”

Lewis said that they had been very inconsistent and had relied on some real individual performances, especially at the back end of games. He mentioned that they were searching for the right combination of players and some consistency in their top and middle order. With two games left, he acknowledged the big task ahead, as their net run rate had taken a hit that night. He stated that they needed results to go their way and had to win the two upcoming games, hopefully with some distance between them and the two teams below. Despite the challenges, he emphasized that they were still in the competition.

On playing their first home game in Lucknow, the head coach said, “This is the first time this competition has come to Lucknow. Obviously, we’d like as many people as possible to come along and watch us. We probably need to play some better cricket for that to happen—I think that’s fair. But, we really encourage the people of Lucknow to come and get behind us as a team. We really appreciate the support they bring. In terms of home advantage and conditions, I think everyone’s coming in on a reasonably even keel.

“Obviously, we played in Bangalore last year, but I don’t think everyone played in Bangalore last year. I don’t think Bangalore is necessarily a home advantage, apart from the crowd, who obviously get right behind their team. You go and play at Mumbai—do they have a home advantage there? Everyone sort of knows what’s going on in those conditions. Like I said yesterday, when we spoke, the team that adapts to the conditions best and understands the conditions best will get ahead. The skill of the opposition tonight was better, and they matched up better than us in the game that we played. So, just got to take your hat off to them because they played very, very well tonight.”

On acknowledging their areas of concern, Lewis said that they have been very inconsistent and have relied on some real individual performances, especially at the back end of games. He mentioned that they are searching for the right combination of players and some consistency in their top and middle order. With two games left, he acknowledged the big task ahead, especially since their net run rate had taken a hit that night. He emphasized the need for results to go their way and for them to win the upcoming two games, hopefully with some distance between them and the two teams below. Despite the challenges, he stated that they are still in the competition.

On Deepti’s captaincy, as a newcomer to the leadership group, the head coach said that it was a new experience for her. When they made the choice to appoint Deepti as captain, they knew she was quite new to the role and understood that it came with some risk, including the possibility of making mistakes. However, in most of the games, she had done a pretty good job.

While she had made some mistakes at times, that was expected from a new captain leading for the first time in this competition. The coach noted progress in how she communicated with the group, particularly in English, which she had been working hard on. Although it was not her strength, she was putting in great effort to communicate effectively with the team in English. This dedication to inclusivity was commendable.

Regardless of the results, the team remained united, with a strong sense of togetherness and connection. Behind the scenes, the work Deepti had been doing was excellent, and her commitment to the role had been fantastic. She did not shy away from any of the duties or tasks assigned to her. While there was still work to be done in terms of how she controlled the game in the middle and made decisions, the team was guiding her through the process. They understood that a new captain would take time to settle into the role, make the right decisions, and utilize players effectively.

The coach also reflected on Deepti’s performances, noting that she had a really good tournament last year, though she had been less consistent the year before. T20 cricket was tough, making it difficult to maintain consistency over a long period. However, Deepti was a good cricketer, and she was working hard to become a good captain as well.

Fielding Coach of the Gujarat Giants James Foster took the mic in hand to address the answers of the press.

Applauding the opener who fired on all cylinders, Foster said, “Beth Mooney is a class player and a class person. She’s been threatening in the last few games—it just hasn’t quite come off. She’s been a bit unfortunate, but a couple of dismissals—just caught a couple of times—if it had gone five yards either side, it could have gone for four or even six. But she looked really hungry today. Actually, just in preparation—I mean, she prepares as well as any cricketer I’ve ever worked with. But there was something about the way she was preparing today. When we got to the ground, she seemed very focused. She seemed very on. And she played exceptionally well—she really did.

“There was a bit of pressure early on, and then particularly outside the power play, herself and Harleen—that partnership was huge. I think it was over 100 runs. But the way she just kept hitting gaps, she played to her strengths, she was very positive—it was a truly brilliant innings, and arguably one of the best innings of the tournament.”

On Kashvee Gautam’s three-wicket haul, the youngster who has grabbed the headlines with spectacular bowling, the fielding coach said, “She brings a lot of energy to the group. She’s got this real sort of steeliness about her—her persona, but also her performance. She always wants the ball in the field. She wants the opportunity to bat as well. I mean, she’s a brilliant batter, and she hasn’t quite got the opportunities so far. But even a couple of games ago, we used her higher up the order. Yes, it didn’t quite pay off, but it shows how much we rate her batting.

“She’s going from strength to strength with the ball—she’s picking up wickets, swinging the ball, and she’s got a brilliant yorker towards the back end and at the death. To me, she really hurries the batsman. She’s had a great tournament so far, with that sort of steeliness, she wouldn’t be someone who’s just going to say, ‘Okay, I’ve had a good tournament to date,’ and hold off from there. She’ll be hungry to continue her form and her progress.”

“Beth is a real team-first player. She’s a brilliant female, and she again adds to the group the whole time. She’s absolutely jumping for joy at the moment because we’ve won a game of cricket, our net run rate has absolutely shot up, and we’re sitting second in the table. She had a brilliant performance with the bat—she’s over the moon. But as I said, she’s more over the moon that we’ve just won this game in a very convincing style. Back-to-back wins for the first time in the competition! And also, I thought she kept brilliantly as well. So, she’s had an outstanding day, and as well, the team has had an outstanding day.”

Foster said that it was difficult for him to comment on the last few seasons because he was not around. He mentioned that he could only comment on what he had witnessed this season, and it had been first-class. According to him, everything about the franchise had been of high quality, both on and off the field. He praised Klinger, describing him as brilliant, with a sense of calmness that everyone enjoyed responding to in terms of coaching and leadership. He also acknowledged the great group of support staff who worked alongside Klinger.

However, he emphasized that, ultimately, it was down to the players. While Klinger set the tone and the scene, the players had responded well so far. He pointed out that there were still two very important games coming up, and it was not the time to sit back and talk about what a great campaign it had been. While pleased with their current position, he recognized that the competition was very tight, with two strong teams ahead of them.

Their main focus at that moment was to enjoy the night, celebrate their success, and reflect on both team and individual achievements, whether on the field or elsewhere. He added that they would take a short break the next day, followed by a couple of training sessions before their crucial game against DC.

“I thought the way we went about our business with the bat—with Beth and Harleen really setting a huge platform—was outstanding. And then, bearing in mind all of our power hitters and quality batters to come through, you saw the way Dottin came in and was just explosive from the start, which is her style—that’s how she operates. Phoebe came in and played a very selfless innings as well. The skipper came in and was explosive too. So, it was a really good performance, a really clinical performance from us today. We’re going to take a lot of confidence from that going into two big games coming up,” he added.

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