The Hundred Eliminator (W) – Southern Brave vs Trent Rockets at Southampton (The Ageas Bowl Stadium) on 2 September (15h00)
Winners were assured of playing in the tournament’s final match at Lord’s. Losers were eliminated from this year’s tournament. POTM match hero Tahlia McGrath said she was happy ‘to get the win,’ and ‘excited to play at Lord’s.’ McGrath hit Brave’s second highest score with her bat (31 runs from 29 balls). McGrath also took two wickets (2/36) took two catches and bowled the match-winning ball. After the match, McGrath told TV viewers she had ‘no idea’ where to bowl to Natalie Sciver. Also, Mignon Du Preez’s caught-and-bowled was ‘a fluke’ – she was doubtful as it might have been (ruled-out as) a ‘bump ball.’ Match was broadcast via SKY Sports YouTube channel – please see below – with Kass Naidoo, Ebony Rainford-Brent, Simon Doull (NZ), Nasser Hussain and guest Chris Jordan. Also ESPN-cric-info (Andrew Miller); BBC ’No Balls’ co-hosted by Alex Hartley and other social media. Weather was sunny.
Brave’s Innings:
*Skipper Anya Shrubsole.*Bryony Smith opened Rockets’ bowling instead of Katherine Brunt.*Commentators agreed it was ‘good captaincy’ by Australia’s Elyse Villani, to ‘fire-up’ with ‘trial-by-spin.’ *Danni Wyatt edged skyward and was caught at backward square by Sophie Munro for a golden duck, from Bryony Smith. *Hitting two ‘fours,’ from Bryony Smith Sophia Dunkley 8(6) found Georgia Davis unplayable, facing three dot balls. *Third ball described by Nasser Hussain as a ‘nothing-shot’ edged past keeper Abi Freeborn who missed a stumping opportunity. *Fourth ball, Dunkley threw a dolly, caught by Elyse Villani at ‘short-cover’ from Georgia Davis. *Three ‘fours’ were scored and two wickets fell, from the first ten balls. *Katherine Brunt bowled one set-of-five immediately before the power play ended, below par on 31/2. *Three balls later, India’s Smriti Mandhana 16(11) ballooned an edge, caught at backward point by Sarah Glenn; said to be a ‘huge moment.’ *Next three sets-of-five went for ‘ones’ and ‘twos.’ *Australia’s newest recruit Tahlia McGrath pulled two ‘fours’ immediately before ‘strategic-time-out’ was called at mid-way: 56/3. *Restarting with ’spin,’ Tahlia McGrath 31(29) was caught by Sophie Munro wide of ‘mid-off’ from Georgia Davis (2/29.) *Maia Bouchier 29(24) and Georgia Adams 38(24) chalked-up a face-saving fifth-wicket partnership of 43 runs until Bouchier scooped low, caught by Elyse Villani at ‘mid-off’ from Katherine Brunt (1/17.) *Georgia Adams hit two ’sixes’ from the last ten balls, before shelling out to Katherine Brunt at ‘midwicket,’ from Bryony Smith’s (2/28) final innings ball. ESPN-cric-info reported that Rockets who had bowled most sets-of-ten, had opted for none-at-all in this match
Rockets’ Innings:
Skipper Elyse Villani. *Marie Kelly in for Kathryn Bryce. *Skipper Shrubsole went ‘up front’ with ‘trial-by-seam.’ *Bryony Smith lost-a-life when Maia Bouchier spilled at short-midwicket, from Lauren Bell’s third-ball. At the power play, Rockets were 28/0 (vs 31/2.) Georgia Adams’ spin bagged Bryony Smith 16(15) who was clean-bowled, missing a ‘reverse-sweep.’ *Adams was in action again three balls later, catching skipper Villani 24(25) at ‘short-fine-leg’, from Tahlia McGrath. *During the same-set-of-five Mignon duPreez 1(2) was caught-and-bowled by a doubting Tahlia McGrath (please see above.) *McGrath took another catch low-down, dismissing Marie Kelly 8, from Georgia Adams (2/15.) *At mid-way, Rockets were (vs 56/3.) ‘Strategic-time-out’ was called after 68 balls on 82/4 (vs 78/4) and with 53 runs needed to win. *Two quick wickets fell, ‘turning the game.’ *Alana King 3(5) had a reprieve for a ‘leg before’ appeal, but a few balls later the same bowler – Australia’s Amanda-Jade Wellington(1/30) – bowled King when missing her big-shot. *Wellington extends her lead at the top of the bowler’s-leader-board.*Also, Marie Kelly 8(7) was caught ‘low down’ by Tahlia McGrath at ‘long-on’ from Georgia Adams. *Two more wickets fell as only the top 3 batters on the scorecard had made double-figures. Katherine Brunt 2 (5) was ‘run out’ by a direct-hit with one bounce from Molly Strano (substitute fielder.) *Also Abi Freeborn 2(2) was ‘run out’ Danni Wyatt, from Lauren Bell. *Sciver’s fifty came with 5 ‘fours’ and 2 ’sixes:’ 50 runs from 29 balls *After Natalie Sciver hit Tahlia McGrath for 3 consecutive ’sixes,’ the match went down to the last ball for a cliff-hanger ending.
Summary
Natalie Sciver 72(30) played a ‘monumental’ innings took the match down to last ball. Winning skipper Anya Shrubsole congratulated Natalie Sciver for a ‘great innings,’ worthy of ‘being on the winning side.’ Asked about McGrath’s last ‘set-of-five,’ Shrubsole told TV viewers that she advised Tahlia McGrath to ‘keep to what she knew,’ and avoid bowling ‘wide.’ Separately, Natalie Sciver told TV viewers that stepping away from captaincy enabled her to focus on batting: (‘elevation, line and trajectory.’) Sciver felt ‘mounting pressure’ after Rockets’ wickets fell ‘in the middle.’
Next match: Final at Lord’s between Southern Brave and Oval Invincibles is a repeat of last year. Invincibles as the defending champions are looking to make histrory with ‘back-to-back’ wins.
Result: Southern Brave Women 134/6; beat Trent Rockets Women 132/7 (target 135) by 2 runs
Brave’s batting: 134/6(from 100 balls@1.34 runs-per-ball); Georgia Adams 38(24), Tahlia McGrath 31(29), Maia Bouchier 29(24), Smriti Mandhana 16(11), Bryony Smith 2/28, Georgia Davis 2/29, Natalie Sciver 1/16, Katherine Brunt 1/17; Fow: 1-1, 2-9, 3-32, 4-66, 5-109, 6-134; Rockets’ batting: 132/7 (from 100 balls@1.32 runs-per-ball; target 135 from 100 balls); Natalie Sciver 72(30), Elyse Villani 24(25), Bryony Smith 16(15); Brave bowling: Tahlia McGrath 2/36, Georgia Adams 2/15, Amanda-Jade Wellington 1/30; Fow: 1-40, 2-42, 3-45, 4-62, 5-84, 6-88, 7-102.
Scorecard & Statistics at URL: https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/the-hundred-women-s-competition-2022-1299144/southern-brave-women-vs-trent-rockets-women-eliminator-1299169/full-scorecard
Match highlights free-to-air from SKY Sports YouTube [14m42] at URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NU434ResWOA
Match video free-to-air from SKY Sports YouTube [33m11/03h29m42s] at URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zM8U94FJZU0
