Women's cricket is a dynamic sport where matches frequently include exciting bat-ball action, but occasionally, the attention is drawn to a less glamorous element: the extras. This article explores teams in Women's ODI matches found themselves giving up an unusually high amount of extras. These games featured many extra runs, from wides to no-balls, which affected the game's ebb and flow. We unearth the fascinating stories of matches when the extras column played an unexpected starring part, giving an element of unpredictability to the cricketing tale, as we explore the highs and lows of teams struggling with their line and length.
1. Netherlands Women Vs Japan Women, 2003
A total of 133 extras were conceded in this match. Of these, wides scored a half-century and amounted to 87 of those runs. The following best was 34 no balls. Of the 133 extras, a 104 were conceded by Japan, contributing to more than one fourth of the total runs scored by the Netherlands. Similarly, the 29 extras conceded by Netherlands amounted to more than one third of the runs scored by Japan.
2. Japan Women Vs Scotland Women, 2003
Had the Japanese showed a little bit of discipline, they would have won this match. They did well to restrict Japan to 142. However, more than half of the runs were scored as extras. Japan got a similar help from Scotland as they conceded 55 extras, but none of the Japanese batters stood up to take advantage of this and to play a long innings, which would have won them the match.
3. Pakistan Women Vs Netherlands Women, 2001
A century of extras were scored in this match, with the majority coming from the Netherlands. A poor batting display meant that the Netherlands only got to 160 with the help of the 31 extras conceded by Pakistan. However, they failed to capitalise on it and lacked the discipline in their bowling, which left Pakistan with less than 100 runs to be scored as the rest were given away as extras.
4. West Indies Women Vs Sri Lanka Women, 2003
The extras conceded made a lot of difference in this match. Thanks to the 68 extras, Sri Lanka reached a competitive total of 214 runs. The West Indies bowlers gave away 55 wides and 13 no-balls. In response, West Indies could only score 176, courtesy of a relatively better bowling performance by the Lankans.
5. Netherlands Women Vs Pakistan Women, 2001
In a match that had a nail-biting finish, Pakistan conceded 34 extras, which included 23 wides. The Netherlands did well to defend the total by taking regular wickets but failed to choke the runs. They gave away 66 extras, which meant that Pakistan only had to score 94 runs to reach the target.
6. Netherlands Women Vs Pakistan Women, 2001
Poor bowling once again became the bane for the Netherlands as they conceded 65 extras merely three days after conceding 66 extras. The result was the same: Pakistan needed to score only 102 runs as the rest of their work was done by the Netherlands for them. Of the total 95 extras in the match, the Netherlands gave away more than double the number Pakistan did.
7. Pakistan Women Vs South Africa Women, 1997
South Africa reached a formidable total of 258, thanks to half-centuries from Ally Kuylaars and one from the extras conceded by Pakistan! Of 51 extras conceded by Pakistan, an astonishing 46 were wides. In response, Pakistan could only score 108, of which more than one third runs cames from the extras conceded by South Africa.
8. Pakistan Women Vs Netherlands Women, 2001
Pakistan conceded 35 extras, which propelled the Netherlands to a respectable total of 204 runs. It was a chaseable target, but the Pakistani batters failed to deliver despite the support from the Netherlands bowlers, who conceded 51 extras. In the end, Pakistan fell 19 runs short of their target, something which would not have happened had they shown a little more discipline in their bowling.
9. Ireland Women Vs Netherlands Women, 2008
Netherlands and conceding a hefty number of extras seemed like a never-ending love story. They conceded a total of 55 extras, of which, 41 were wides, and 10 were leg byes. In response, the Irish only conceded 32 extras, with 24 wides, which helped them to keep the pressure up on the Netherlands, restricting them 66 runs short of their target.
10. Pakistan Women Vs Scotland Women, 2003
Of the 87 total extras conceded in the match, 62 were given away by Scotland. Of these, 10 were no balls, and 43 were wides, which helped Pakistan to reach a score of 164 in their 50 overs. In response, Scotland could only manage 126, of which, 25 were extras conceded by Pakistan.
