Manchester Originals vs Southern Brave at Emirates Old Trafford (Manchester) on 23 August 2023
‘Brave’ chalked-up their sixth back-to-back win, to qualify to play their third final. ‘Originals’ had just beaten ‘Superchargers’ (Roses rivals); the latter team expected to play the Eliminator match to qualify for the final. Before the match, commentators helpfully explained that ‘Brave’ could win, tie (or even lose with a score of 112 runs or more) to qualify for the final – without needing to play the Eliminator match at all. POTM Meerkat Match Hero was Danni Wyatt who top-scored with ‘fifty’ (60 runs from 32 balls); in a match-winning partnership of 93-runs (45 balls); with Maia Bouchier (47*not out.) Separately, Maia Bouchier (trophy tally 264 runs) leap-frogged Tammy Beaumont into 2nd place on the tournament’s batting-leader-board; now just 2 runs behind Australia’s Phoebe Litchfield. Introduced for SKY Sports by Charles Dagnall (who interviewed Smriti Mandhana); Eoin Morgan & Nasser Hussain (ex England); Natalie Germanos (ex South Africa); with guests Tammy Beaumont & Stuart Broad (Ashes series.) Also with Freya Kemp (‘Brave’) & Amanda-Jade Wellington (‘Originals’) as “miked-up” fielders who communicated with SKY Sports commentators via player’s microphones. Match highlights for ‘The Hundred,’ courtesy of Sky Sports (please see below.) Weather at Old Trafford was overcast ‘with not much breeze;’ evolving into a ‘light drizzle’ mid-way through the second innings. Floodlights were seen to be switched-on.
MO-W *Stand-in skipper Eleanor ‘Ellie’ Threlkeld [*Rhianna Southby keeping wicket for ‘Brave’] *International players Laura Wolvaardt (Rep. South Africa), Amanda-Jade Wellington (Australia ‘A’ & WBBL ‘5-fer’ bowler) & Deandre Dottin (ex-WIndies); with England ‘A’s’ Grace Scrivens & Emma Lamb. *Also with Scotland’s Kathryn Bryce plus Amara Carr. During her warming-up exercises, Sophie Ecclestone suffered shoulder injury and reappeared for cameras, at the end. Commentators added that it was ‘not the way the World’s No.1 bowler wanted to finish’ (the tournament.) *Emma Lamb 4(6) was caught by Kalea Moore from Georgia Adams (1/19) *Separately, Georgia Adams (16 wickets) was said to top the bowler’s-leader-board ahead of Shabnim Ismail & Marizanne Kapp (with 11 wickets each.) *After 25 balls ‘Power-play,’ ‘Originals’ were 32/1. *Making top-score with her ‘maiden’ tournament ‘fifty,’ Fi Morris 50(39) partnered by Laura Wolvaardt 46(39); adding 88 runs for Originals’ second-wicket stand. *3 wickets tumbled from the last 25 balls, augmented by remorseful ‘trainee’ commentator’s gaffs, when Fi Morris ‘who’d played absolutely fantastically toward a formidable total,’ feathered a ‘reverse-sweep’ to keeper Rhianna Southby, from Lauren Bell (1/15) *Also, when Deandre Dottin 4(8) hoisted high to ‘long-off,’ with ‘legs… for ‘six,’ the ball was caught comfortably by Smriti Mandhana, from Anya Shrubsole. *’Originals” eagerly awaited ‘formidable total’ fell some way short when 3 balls later, Laura Wolvaardt 36(39) was caught at ‘deep mid-wicket’ by Danni Wyatt from Anya Shrubsole (2/33.) *Katie George was 5*not out; *Kathryn Bryce 6*not out. *Best ‘Originals’ batter was Fi Morris 50(39); *Best ‘Brave’ bowler was Anya Shrubsole 2/33. Between innings, Fi Morris mentioned that the pitch was ‘quite slow,’ and that her success came from ‘hitting down the ground.’
SB-W *Skipper/coach Anya Shrubsole with unchanged side. [*Ellie Threlkeld keeping wicket for ‘Originals’] *Internationals Smriti Mandhana (India), Maitlan Brown (Australia WBBL) & Chloe Tryon (Rep. South Africa.) *England’s Danni Wyatt, Maia Bouchier & Freya Kemp. *’Brave’ batters were tasked by scoring at least 112 runs, aiming to win to qualify straight through to the final. *During a ‘mix-up’ between batters, Smriti Mandhana 8(7) was ‘run-out’ from ‘mid-on’ by Amanda-Jade Wellington’s direct-hit (against her former side) from Kathryn Bryce (bowler.) *After 25 balls ‘Power-play,’ ‘Brave’ were 39/1 (vs 32/1) with 80 runs needed from 75 balls. *With light drizzle and ball-towelling some 15 balls later, ‘Strategic-time-out’ was called with ‘Brave’ needing to score 50 runs from 60 balls remaining. *Best ‘Brave’ batter Danni Wyatt 60(32) was bowled by Kathryn Bryce(1/20), said to be a ‘consolation wicket’ from a slower-ball. *Maia Bouchier 47*not out (25) & Chloe Tryon 4*not out(8); *Best ‘Originals’ bowler was their only wicket-taker, Kathryn Bryce (1/20.)
Match summary: Drama struck before a single ball was bowled, when Sophie Ecclestone injured her shoulder during ‘warm-ups’ and Ellie Threlkeld stepped-up as ‘Originals’ skipper at short notice. Commentators anticipated a low-scoring match with a longer-than-average boundary line and ‘little on offer’ for bowlers, on a well-used pitch. As mentioned above, the highlight of ‘Originals’ innings was a maiden ‘fifty’ by Fi Morris (from 39 balls) partnered by Laura Wolvaardt 46(39); adding 88 runs for Originals’ second-wicket stand. Two late ‘Originals’ wickets fell to ‘Brave’ skipper Anya Shrubsole (playing her penultimate professional match); just 3 balls apart. Just as inclement weather threatened to curtail the match, ‘Brave’ batters, Danni Wyatt bagged her ‘fifty,’ partnered by Maia Bouchier: their partnership adding 93 runs for Brave’s second wicket in 32 balls. During the match, Maia Bouchier (254 runs) ‘overtook’ Tammy Beaumont (253) on the batters-leaderboard; with Phoebe Litchfield top (266.) Receiving POTM Meerkat Match Hero ‘Brave’ opener Danni Wyatt told commentators she was looking forward to taking a day-off before the (final) ‘big show’; and that ‘lifting the trophy at third attempt’ would be a ‘dream come true.’ Anya Shrubsole (pictured, centre) added that she was ‘thrilled’ to play in the final after such a ‘brilliant performance;’ and ‘wanted to be successful this time:’ having previously finished the same tournament twice, as runners-up on the ‘losing side.’ Concluding, ‘Brave’ finished top of the tournament’s group stage and automatically qualify for the final.
Match result: Southern Brave Women 121/2 (target 119 from 100 balls) beat Manchester Originals Women 118/4 by eight wickets (with 28 balls remaining)
*’Originals’’ batting: 118/4 (from 100 balls @1.1 run-per-over) Fi Morris 50(39), Laura Wolvaardt 46(39) ‘Brave’s’ bowling: Anya Shrubsole 2/33, Lauren Bell 1/15, Georgia Adams 1/19; Fow 1-7, 2-95, 3-107, 4-108.
*’Brave’s’ batting: 121/2 (from 72/100 balls @1.6 run-per-over): Danni Wyatt 60(32), Maia Bouchier 47*not out (25); ‘Originals’’ bowling: Kathryn Bryce 1/20; Fow 1-15, 2-108.
*Scorecard courtesy of BBC Sport @URL https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/ECKE1000747
*Match highlights courtesy of Sky Sports @URL https://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/20876/12945917/the-hundred-southern-brave-into-final-as-danni-wyatt-and-maia-bouchier-star-vs-manchester-originals
*Amanda-Jade Wellington’s ‘Secret Life of Wello’ The Hundred Episodes via YouTube @URL https://www.youtube.com/c/Secretlifeofwello