Trent Rockets vs Welsh Fire at Nottingham (Trent Bridge) on 29 August (15h30)
The twenty-first women’s match of ‘The Hundred’ tournament was the last chance for Rockets to secure third place in the ‘Play-offs’ between the tournament’s top-three teams. POTM ‘match hero’ Elyse Villani stood-in as Rockets’ skipper (for Nat Sciver). Australian Villani took two catches and made top-score 55*not out, with her bat. Asked about strategy, she revealed to TV viewers she’d focused on getting into a winning position. Only then did Villani think about net-run-rate targets needed to qualify for the Play-offs. Separately, it didn’t go unnoticed that Scotland’s Bryce sisters were playing against each other, on either side. Match was broadcast via SKY Sports YouTube channel – please see below – with Kass Naidoo, Simon Doull (NZ), Daren Sammy (WIndies), Dominic Cork, Ebony Rainford-Brent (seen with ice cream), and guest Kate Cross. Also ESPN-cric-info (Hemant Brar and Sampath Bandarupalli); BBC ’No Balls’ co-hosted by Alex Hartley and other social media. Record crowd 10,286 watching women’s cricket at Trent Bridge. Weather was overcast.
Fire’s innings
Skipper Beaumont said that her side was unchanged (but without Hayley Matthews.) *When Tammy Beaumont opened her account with four ‘fours’ from Scotland’s Kathryn Bryce, Fire looked set to ’spoil the party.’ *Change of bowler saw Beaumont 23(26) ballooning a catch taken by Katherine Bryce at deep mid-wicket, from Bryony Smith. *Disaster struck during the power play when Natalie Sciver dismissed two of Fire’s three Australians from the same set-of-five balls. *Rachael Haynes 6(10) was clean-bowled off-stump; and Annabel Sutherland 1(2) went plumb ‘leg before.’ *After 25 balls power play, Fire were 31/3. *Skipper Villani’s first catch arose when Fran Wilson’s mis-timed cover drive 4(10) ballooned a catch at ‘mid-off’ from Bryony Smith’s second set-of-five. *At mid-way, Fire were 51/4. Australian Nic Carey built a fifth-wicket partnership with Sarah Bryce, adding 33 runs. ‘Strategic-time-out’ came after 70 balls: Fire 70/4. Sarah Bryce 23(26) was ‘run-out’ arriving with a flat-out dive, just short of the non-striker’s end. *Sarah Bryce was commended for ’sticking around’ and ‘fought hard.’ *Next set-of-five was a wicket-maiden that saw Katie George 0(5) ‘brilliantly’ caught in the deep by Bryony Smith from Alana King’s slower ball. *Finally, two more wickets fell during Katherine Brunt’s death over. *Villani took her second catch at ‘mid-off’ to dismiss Fire’s third Australian Nic Carey. *Also, Lauren Filer 14(11) was clean-bowled from Brunt’s last ball, Filer missing her customary big shot to finish. *Commentators said that Rockets’ fielding was ‘outstanding’ as they saved runs to keep their hopes of qualifying alive.
Rockets’ innings
Skipper Elyse Villani. *Facing Alex Hartley’s first ten balls, Villani and Bryony Smith made a cautious start. *After 25 balls power play, Fire were ahead on runs from three more balls that crossed the ropes, but behind on wickets. *Rockets were 25/0 (vs 31/3.) Either side of the power play, Tammy Beaumont spilt two catches, giving lives to Smith before the power play, and Sciver afterwards. *Immediately after the power play, Bryony Smith’s 8(15) ‘struggling knock’ ended when caught by Annabel Sutherland from Lauren Filer’s (1/13) third ball. *Change of bowling brought back Alex Hartley (1/27), who took Natalie Sciver’s 5(7) ‘huge’ wicket. Sciver was caught by Claire Nicholas at ‘short-third.’ *At mid-way, Rockets were 46/2 (vs 51/4.) *Skipper Villani had a lucky escape on 66/2, when Fran Wilson got both hands to the ball, diving from ‘deep-square,’ from Lauren Filer. *As mentioned above, decision time came during the ‘Strategic-time-out.’ Match hero Elyse Villani 55*(40) went on to score a skipper’s fifty and carried-her-bat. South Africa’s Mignon duPreez 32*(30) saw Rockets home ‘in style,’ scoring two ‘fours’ from Annabel Sutherland, to close.
Summary
Rockets have won three group-stage matches from their six (awarded 6 points.) During the power play Fire posted a higher score than rockets, initially raising expectations that they could cause another upset. Rockets were ahead at mid-way, with two wickets advantage. Commentators said that Rockets’ fielding was ‘outstanding’ whereas Fire dropped at least four catches that could have changed the course of the game. Instead, Fire had ’not enough runs on the board,’ and Rockets had little trouble chasing down the target by a comfortable margin. Daren Sammy added that Rockets had done enough to keep themselves ‘in the running’ to finish in third place. Commentator Simon Doull added that Rockets had ‘restricted Welsh Fire in style.’ A favourable qualification scenario is for Rockets to join the top two teams already through to the next stage of the tournament (Invincibles and Brave.) Third place will be decided by ‘net run rate,’ between teams placed third on equal points, once all teams have played their six matches at the group stage of the tournament.
Result: Trent Rockets Women 102/2 beat Women Welsh Fire Women 100/8; by 8 wickets with 18 balls remaining
Fire batting: 100/8 (100 balls @1.00 run-per-over); Nic Carey 27(29), Sarah Bryce 23(26) Tammy Beaumont 16(6) Lauren Filer 14(11); Rockets bowling: Bryony Smith 2/14, Katherine Brunt 2/14, Natalie Sciver 2/22, Alana King 1/10; Fow 1-16, 2-25, 3-31, 4-40, 5-73, 6-74, 7-99, 8-100; Rockets batting: 102/2 (82/100 balls @1.24 runs-per-over; target 101 from 100); Elyse Villani 55*(40), Mignon duPreez 32*(20); Fire bowling: Lauren Filer 1/13, Alex Hartley 1/27; Fow 1-25, 2-28.
Scorecard & Statistics at URL: https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/the-hundred-women-s-competition-2022-1299144/trent-rockets-women-vs-welsh-fire-women-21st-match-1299165/full-scorecard
Match highlights free-to-air from SKY Sports YouTube [07m35] at URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W053_8FAwWQ
Match video free-to-air from SKY Sports YouTube [32m59/03h38m50] at URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V56x2l7jBxc
