After four straight defeats, the bottom-placed Gujarat Giants finally opened their account in the ongoing Women's Premier League.

Courtesy Laura Wolvaardt (76 off 45 balls), who was at her free-flowing best with the elegant Beth Mooney (85 not out off 51 balls), the Giants were able to register a 19-run win over Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Ferozeshah Kotla on Wednesday.

Thanks to openers Wolvaardt and captain Mooney, the Giants posted a formidable 199/5 electing to bat first on winning the toss. RCB, in reply, never really got going after captain Smriti Mandhana's departure in the fifth over.

Georgia Wareham (48) and keeper-batter Richa Ghosh (31) attempted a late fightback, but they were left with too much to do in the end as RCB finished at 180/8. However, RCB remain at No.2 in the standings even after this loss as they are still ahead of Mumbai Indians in terms of net run rate.

Among the Giants bowlers, Australian off-spinner Ashleigh Gardner finished with 2/23.

Earlier, Wolvaardt and captain Mooney hammered 140 in just 13 overs at the top to lay the foundation for a big score. Given the start they were off to, the Giants should have breached the 200-mark, but managed only 59 off the last seven overs of their innings.

The RCB bowlers couldn’t hit the right lengths when bowling to Wolvaardt and Mooney on a belter of a track as the Giants openers muscled the half-trackers to all corners.

Both Sophie Devine and Renuka Singh Thakur bowled too full as Mooney played some crisp cover drives.

Brief scores: Gujarat Giants Women 199/5 in 20 ovs (B. Mooney 85 n.o., L. Wolvaardt 76). RCB Women 180/8 (G. Wareham 48; A. Gardner 2/23). Gujarat Giants Women won by 19 runs.

Written with PTI inputs