World-class batter Tammy Beaumont made history with a ‘scintillating century,’ surpassing Beth Mooney’s (Australia) previous record score (97*not out.) Her innings of 118 runs (from 61 balls) lauded as ‘one of the best ever seen,’ also contributing to what became a new record for team’s highest score (181/3 from 100 balls.) With one ball remaining, POTM Meerkat Match Hero Tammy Beaumont uniquely shook hands with all ‘Rockets’ players before leaving the field to a standing ovation from her home crowd. Commentators added that ‘Rockets’ were faced by a ‘monster’ run-chase and later recognised that ‘Fire’ had ‘found a formula’ to beat ‘Rockets’ by ‘a huge margin.’ Separately, Beaumont’s innings had ‘more than made up for’ playing without WIndies skipper Hayley Matthews, who had hoped to play in the match. Introduced by Nick Knight & Mel Jones (ex Australia Women.) Also with Mark Butcher & Robert Croft MBE (former England players); & Kumar Sangakkara (ex Sri Lanka); plus guest player Kate Cross (Ashes series.) Match highlights courtesy of Sky Sports (please see below.) Weather at Cardiff was sunny with cumulus clouds and a variable cross-breeze.
WF-W *skipper Tammy Beaumont [*Rockets keeper Lizelle Lee] *Internationals Shabnim Ismail (Rep. South Africa), Laura Harris (Australia Women’s Big Bash League); but without (injured) Hayley Matthews. *England’s Tammy Beaumont, Sophia Dunkley & Freya Davies; Alex Hartley (ex England) with Scotland’s Sarah Bryce. *After 25 balls ‘Power-play’ ‘Fire’ were 46/0. *Sophia Dunkley 24(18) went ‘leg-before’ to Alana King (1/16) *’Fire’s’ 2nd wicket partnership set a new record by adding 100 runs. *Tammy Beaumont played the ultimate record-breaking skipper’s innings, making the 2nd-fastest women’s ‘fifty’ in The Hundred’s short history. By mid-way, ‘Fire’ were 85/1. Tammy Beaumont also became the first woman to score a ’ton’ (from 52 balls); and went on to score the first ’skipper’s ton.’ *With one ball remaining, Tammy Beaumont was caught by Jo Gardner from Kirstie Gordon (2/27) and received recognition having made the The Hundred’s highest all-comers score: 118 from 61 balls. *Next ball, Laura Harris was caught by Nat Sciver-Brunt for a ‘golden duck, from Kirstie Gordon’s (2/27) final innings ball *Sarah Bryce remained 31*not out (20.) *Best ‘Fire’ batter Tammy Beaumont 118(61); *Best ‘Rockets’ bowler Kirstie Gordon 2/27.
TR-W *Skipper Natalie ‘Nat’ Sciver-Brunt [Sarah Bryce keeping wicket for Fire] *International players Harmanpreet Kaur (India), Alana King (Australia) & Lizelle Lee (ex Rep. South Africa) with Nat Sciver-Brunt (England); Bryony Smith & Kirstie Gordon (England ‘A’) Fran Wilson (ex England) & Alexa Stonehouse (England u-19’s) Debutante Cassidy McCarthy. *Rockets made a solid start with 38/0 (vs 46/0) after 25 balls ‘Power-play.’ *Next set-of-five, Bryony Smith launched Claire Nicholas for 3 ‘sixes.’ *Lizelle Lee 26(24), steepled to ‘mid-off’ and was caught by Freya Davies in ‘reverse-gear,’ from Shabnim Ismail (1/23.) *Match advantage tipped to ‘Fire’s’ favour around mid-way, when Sophia Dunkley took two catches in 5 balls. *Before mid-way, Bryony Smith 48(21), was caught at ‘deep-mid-wicket’ by Sophia Dunkley from Freya Davies. *At mid-way, ‘Rockets’ were level-pegging: 83/2 (vs 85/1.) *4 balls beyond mid-way, Nat Sciver-Brunt 10(8); was caught-and-bowled by Sophia Dunkley(1/16) ‘out early’ from a ‘very hard stinging’ return ball, taken on-the-turn around shoulder height. *Jo Gardner 14(9), was bowled ‘off-stump’ from a ‘shorter-length’ ball skittled by Alex Hartley 1/28. *Fran Wilson 6(8) was caught at ‘log-on’ by Shabnim Ismail, from Freya Davies (2/19) *Harmanpreet Kaur 22*was not out(23.) *Best ‘Rockets’ batter was Bryony Smith 48(21) *Best ‘Fire’ bowler was Freya Davies 2/19.
Match summary ‘Fire’s’ innings was dominated by skipper Beaumont scoring the 2nd fastest 50; first ever ’ton,’ whilst adding 100 runs for ‘Fire’s’ 2nd wicket partnership. Skipper Beaumont also made The Hundred’s highest all-comers (men/women’s) score: 118 from 61 balls. Uniquely, once ‘out,’ from the penultimate innings ball, Tammy Beaumont shook-hands with all ‘Rockets’ players before leaving the field to a standing ovation from ‘Fire’s’ appreciative home crowd. ‘Fire’ set a new ‘competition’s highest team score’ 181/3; beating the previous women’s record (167.) Faced by a ‘monster’ record run-chase, ‘Rockets’ openers Lizelle Lee and top-scoring Bryony Smith made a solid start with 78 without loss. Prospects for an exciting finish evaporated when Sophia Dunkley took two catches. The first, to disappoint Bryony Smith from making ‘fifty.’ The second remarkable return-catch sent Rockets skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt back to the ‘dug-out.’ Almost caught from the final ball, Harmanpreet Kaur ‘played-for-pride,’ as ‘Fire’ claimed victory by a wide margin. Commentators concluded that ‘Fire’ had ‘found a formula’ to win. Welsh Fire top-of-table (9 points-to-date); ahead of Southern Brave & Northern Superchargers (sharing second place with 8 points each.)
Match result: Welsh Fire Women 181/3 beat Trent Rockets 140/5 (target 182 from 100 balls) by 41 runs
*‘Fire’s’ batting: 181/3 (from 100 balls @1.8 runs-per-ball) Tammy Beaumont 118(61), Sophia Dunkley 24(18), Sarah Bryce 31*not out (20);’ Rockets’’ bowling: Kirstie Gordon 2/27, Alana King 1/16; Fow 1-81, 2-181, 3-181.
*‘Rockets’’ batting: 140/5 (from 100 balls @1.4 runs-per-ball) Bryony Smith 48(21), Lizelle Lee 26(24), Harmanpreet Kaur 22*not out(23), Joanne ‘Jo’ Gardner 14(9), Natalie ‘Nat’ Sciver-Brunt 10(8); ’Fire’s’ bowling: Freya Davies 2/19, Sophia Dunkley 1/16, Shabnim Ismail 1/23, Alex Hartley 1/28; Fow 1-78, 2-83, 3-89, 4-118, 5-129.
*Scorecard courtesy of BBC Sport @URL https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/ECKE1000736
*Match highlights courtesy of Sky Sport https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/cricket/12940080/highlights-tammy-beaumont-sends-welsh-fire-top-of-the-table-with-record-score
