London Spirit’s perfect start to their Hundred title defence continued as the women’s side claimed a third-straight victory with a three-wicket win over Manchester Originals at Emirates Old Trafford.
After edging out Welsh Fire by only two runs in their last match on Saturday, two days later Spirit secured another tight and tense victory, this time with only two balls to spare.
Grace Harris continued her sensational form to start the competition, following up her 89 not out in the opening win over Oval Invincibles with another half century here to help her side over the line.
The Australian all-rounder smashed five fours and two sixes in her 32-ball 50, including a crucial maximum when 16 runs were still required off the final 10 balls.
Spirit made it hard for themselves yet again when, two balls later, Issy Wong and skipper Charlie Dean departed to back-to-back Kathryn Bryce deliveries.
But, with nine needed from six and only three wickets in hand, Sarah Glenn hit Bryce’s hat-trick ball for four and then carved another away to the boundary for the winning runs off the 98th ball.
Earlier, after winning the toss and inserting the Originals, Dean claimed 2-18 from her 20 balls to help restrict the Manchester outfit to 122-6 – the West Indies’ Deandra Dottin top-scoring with 36 off 30, and Australia’s Beth Mooney contributing 26 from 20.
Georgia Redmayne (11), to Mahika Gaur, and Danielle Gibson, to Amelia Kerr (2-17) fell in the space of three balls early in the Spirit’s reply, but a handy 34 off 30 at the top of the order from Kira Chathli, as well as Harris’ half century helped see the reigning champions victorious again.
How do matches work?
- One hundred balls a side, the team with the most runs wins. It is as simple as that.
- Five bowlers can bowl up to 20 balls in an innings, including five or 10 in a row.
- The traditional six-ball overs seen in other forms of cricket are not used in The Hundred, with 10 balls bowled before a change of ends.
- The powerplay is for the first 25 balls of an innings, with only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle.
- A 25-ball-a-side game is the minimum length that can be played in the event of wet weather.
What’s next?
Originals are next in action on Wednesday against Welsh Fire (3pm start) as part of a four-match day live on Sky Sports, with Southern Brave first facing Northern Superchargers (11.30am start) in the women’s comp.
Spirit, meanwhile, will look to continue their winning start to the tournament on Thursday when they take on Trent Rockets (3pm start).
Before all of that though, on Tuesday, Birmingham Phoenix host Oval Invincibles, with the women’s sides in action from 3pm, Invincibles looking to claim their first win of the season at the third attempt.
Watch every match across the women’s and men’s competitions live on Sky Sports from August 5-31.
