‘Northern Superchargers Women’ v Manchester Originals’, at Leeds (Emerald Headingley) on 12 August
Receiving the ‘Match Hero’ cap-and-medal, ‘Originals’ skipper Kate Cross was ‘happy’ with the result.
Skipper Cross was congratulated by commentators for beating ‘tough competition.’ Cross told viewers she’d ‘felt good all summer;’ adding that Lizelle Lee’s winning run-chase was ‘incredible to watch.’ Taking 3 wickets from 15 balls during ‘Superchargers’’ power-play, Kate Cross conceded only 5 runs: causal to ‘Superchargers’ record lowest power-play score (16/4.) ‘Originals’’ by comparison, made the record highest score (50/0 after 25 balls)
‘The Hundred’s’ 26th match was broadcast live (commentators included Rob Key, Mark Butcher, Darren Gough and guest Tammy Beaumont) from SKY Sports TV; also cricket social media (Matt Roller for EPSN-cric-info.) Roller pointed out that this match was ‘must win’ for ‘Superchargers’ to have any hope of qualifying for the play-offs. Placed ‘rock bottom, ‘Originals’ had looked reasonably certain to receive the wooden spoon
Before the match, ‘Originals’ skipper Kate Cross was playing Alice Dyson for Georgie Boyce. ‘Superchargers’ skipper Lauren Winfield-Hill made two changes including Sterre Kalis for Laura Kimmince (one international player for another.) Two other ‘Superchargers’ women were said to be ‘self-isolating’ as a ‘Covid-19’ precaution
Posting the record lowest power-play score (16/4 after 25 balls), ‘Superchargers’ lost four quick wickets as ‘Originals’ skipper Kate Cross took three wickets, knocking over her opponent’s top-order. Taking 3 wickets from 15 balls during ‘Superchargers’’ power-play, Kate Cross conceded only 5 runs. That lifted Cross to third-placed tournament bowler for taking 10 wickets (behind Sammy-Jo Johnson (12) and Tash Farrant (11))
*Firstly, skipper Lauren Winfield-Hill (2) was ‘caught behind’ by Eleanor Threlkeld from Kate Cross’ 3rd ball
*Secondly, Jemimah Rodrigues (7) was stumped (by Threlkeld) striding down-wicket to Hannah Jones.
*Separately, Jemimah Rodrigues record run tally now stands at 248
*Thirdly, Alice Davidson-Richards (1) chipped a loose drive to Lizelle Lee, who caught her at ‘backward point’, handing Cross her second wicket.
*Fourthly (two balls later) Bess Heath (0) was caught for a second-ball ‘duck’ – another wicket from Kate Cross’ bowling
*By the mid-way point, ‘Superchargers’ were 42/4 (compared to ‘Originals’ who were 87/1)
*Another 29 runs were added until Sterre Kalis (19) was ‘run out’
*During the penultimate over, top-scorer Laura Wolvaardt 75* runs (from 51 balls) scored her ‘fifty’’
Also Wolvaardt’s ‘fifty’ partnership with Linsey Smith (17 from 14); worth 73
*Between innings, Wolvaardt told Rob Key she had ‘a good last ten:’ in a ‘magnificent finish’ that saw 34 runs scored from the last ten balls
‘Originals’ made 50 without loss from 25 balls, thought to be the tournament’s highest power-play score.
*Beth Langston bowled a nervous first over with three ‘wides’ then hit for three ‘fours’
*Lizelle Lee made ‘fifty’ (52) in 27 balls with a strike rate (240): at 2.4 runs-per-ball from her first 10 balls
*Laura Wolvaardt’s good day continued as she caught Emma Lamb from Linsey Smith’s first post-power-play over
*’Originals’ posted 100 runs after 62 balls, at which point only 27 runs were needed from 38 balls; with the South Africans (Lizelle Lee and Mignon du Preez) still at the crease
*By the time Lizelle Lee was caught by Laura Wolvaardt (2 runs later) ‘Originals’ had broken the back of the run-chase
*Finally Mignon du Preez (24* from 27) and Cordelia Griffith (13* from 9) saw ‘Originals’ home for an easy ‘away’ win by 8 wickets and with 14 balls remaining
*’Originals’’ (5 points) unexpected win moves them up to 6th place, unable to qualify for the play-off – but less likely to get the wooden spoon than commentators had feared before the match. ‘Superchargers’ (7 points) remain joint-second, but have lost one more game than ‘Rockets’ and ‘Invincibles;’ diminishing their hope of qualifying for the play-offs – if the level-pegging teams (with a match in hand) both win their next match
Result: ‘Manchester Originals -W’ 127-2; beat ‘Northern Superchargers -Women’ 126-5; by 8 wickets with 14 balls remaining
‘Northern Superchargers W’ (NS-W) 126-5 (20 ov 1.26 runs-per-ball) Laura Wolvaardt 75* runs from 51 balls, Sterre Kalis 19(21) ‘Originals’ bowling: Kate Cross 3/19, Hannah Jones 1/18; Fow 1-2, 2-14, 3-16, 4-16, 5-54
‘Manchester Originals W’ (MO-W) 127-2 (86/100 balls 1.47rpb) Lizelle Lee 68 runs from 40 balls, Mignon du Preez 24*(27), Cordelia Griffith 13*(9) Emma Lamb 10(10); ‘Superchargers’ bowling: Kalea Moore 1/20, Linsey Smith 1/22; Fow 1-50, 2-102
Scorecard at: https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/the-hundred-women-s-competition-2021-1252659/northern-superchargers-women-vs-manchester-originals-women-26th-match-1252725/full-scorecard
