Southern Brave vs Northern Superchargers at Lord’s, London (North) on 27 August 2023
‘At-the-third-time-of-asking,’ ‘Brave’ won the tournament trophy with a ‘dominant’ performance before a record women’s cricket crowd at Lord’s (>21,500 people.) Commentators added that ‘Brave’ had been the ’stand-out’ team, with ‘quality’ (batters) and ‘fine variation’ (between bowlers.) Skipper/coach Anya Shrubsole received a player’s ‘guard-of-honour’ for a ‘fairy-tale’ ending to mark her professional retirement, having won the trophy during her final match. Top-scorer Danni Wyatt (‘Brave’) bagged her second POTM Meerkat Match Hero award scoring her second match-winning ‘fifty.’ Danni Wyatt was also top-scoring batter of the tournament with 295 runs. POTS Meerkat Player-of-the-Series went to Marizanne Kapp (‘Invincibles’) who scored 147 runs and took 11 wickets during the group stage. Georgia Adams (‘Brave’) finished top of the bowler’s leader board, dedicating her performance to Anya Shrubsole, as bowler’s coach. Introduced for BBC Sport by Alison Mitchell (BBC sports journalist) with Isa Guha & Alex Hartley (ex England women); Phil Tufnell & Michael Vaughan (ex-England); plus Suzie Bates (ex-NZ; & ‘Invincibles.’) Separately, Georgia Adams gave BBC Sport an entertaining running-commentary via player’s microphone. Match highlights courtesy of SKY Sports (please see below.) Weather at Lords was initially overcast, with gradually dispersing cloud-cover.
SB-W *Skipper/coach Anya Shrubsole with unchanged side. *[Bess Heath keeping wicket for ‘Superchargers’] *Internationals Smriti Mandhana (India), Maitlan Brown (Australia WBBL) & Chloe Tryon (Rep. South Africa.) *England’s Danni Wyatt, Maia Bouchier & Freya Kemp. *Gaffed by commentators as scoring the ‘bulk’ of ‘Brave’s’ runs, Smriti Mandhana 4 runs (from 2 balls) was caught at ‘gully’ by Marie Kelly from Grace Ballinger’s second ball. *7 balls later, Maia Bouchier 4 was caught high at ‘mid-on’ by Hollie Armitage, from Kate Cross. *’Brave’s’ lowest power-play score 28/2 was ‘not a great start’ *After 50 balls (mid-way) ‘Brave’ recovered to 57/2; followed by ’Strategic-time-out,’ taken after 60 balls on 74/2. *Cursed by commentators for going ‘top-of-the-batter’s-leaderboard’ and forming a ‘crucial partnership’ with Georgia Adams; next ball Danni Wyatt 59(38) was ‘run-out.’ *Kate Cross’ sent an under-arm throw hitting the non-striker’s wicket – said to be ‘quick thinking.’ *Lucy Higham suffered 2 dropped catches. *A third attempt was successful when Georgia Adams 9(6) was caught at ‘deep-mid-wicket’ by Georgia Wareham, from Lucy Higham. *Two wickets fell from Kate Cross’ last set-of-five. *Having played an ‘unbelievable innings,’ Freya Kemp 31(17), played-on from an ‘inside edge,’ to off-stump, from Kate Cross. *Finally, Chloe Tryon 9(6) was caught at ‘deep-mid-wicket’ by Georgia Wareham from Kate Cross. *Kalea Moore & Maitlan Brown were ’not out.’ In summary, ‘Brave’s’ best batter was Danni Wyatt who top scored with ‘fifty’ *’Superchargers’’ best bowler was Kate Cross 3/21. *During the interval, Georgia Adams told commentators that 139/6 looked like a ‘competitive’ score.
NSC-W *Skipper Hollie Armitage. [*Rhianna Southby keeping wicket for ‘Brave’] *International players Phoebe Litchfield & Georgia Wareham (Australia), Jemimah Rodrigues (India); with England’s Kate Cross, Alice Davidson-Richards & Bess Heath; England ‘A’’s Hollie Armitage, & Leah Dobson for Linsey Smith. *Finding Lauren Bell unplayable, Marie Kelly 0(2) survived a ‘leg before’ decision upon Umpire’s review, but ‘played-on,’ next ball. *‘In-form’ batter Phoebe Litchfield 13(11) was caught ‘in-the-deep’ by Freya Kemp (reporting as ‘more easy’ than it looked); from Lauren Bell. *Level-pegging scores 30/2 vs 28/2 after 25 balls ‘Power-play.’ *With feet not grounded, Hollie Armitage 11(14) was stumped by Rhianna Southby from Kalea Moore. *Falling over out-of-crease after missing a ‘slog-sweep,’ star batter Bess Heath 13(12) was stumped by Rhianna Southby from Chloe Tryon. *Mid-way after 50 balls, ‘Superchargers’ were 61/4 (vs 57/2) needing 79 to win. *Lauded as a ‘big wicket,’ Alice Davidson-Richards 3(6) went ‘leg-before’ to Anya Shrubsole (1/18) *Georgia Wareham 8(7) was caught at ‘long-on’ brilliantly’ by Maia Bouchier diving forward, from Chloe Tryon’s ‘full-toss’ (2/28) *Tactically kept away from the striker’s end, Jemimah Rodrigues 24(14) was caught at ‘extra-cover’ by Georgia Adams from Kalea Moore. *’Strategic-time-out’ was taken at 79/7; with 61 runs needed from 25 balls remaining. *4 balls later, Leah Dobson 3(10) came down-the-wicket too wide, and was stumped by Rhianna Southby, from Kalea Moore (3/15) *During Lauren Bell’s final set-of-5: *Lucy Higham 12(7) was caught from a ‘ramp’ shot to ’short-fine’ by Kalea Moore. *Finally Grace Ballinger 0(2) was ‘run-out’ by Georgia Adams return-throw to Lauren Bell at the non-striker’s end – for a 2nd ball ‘duck.’ *Kate Cross 12*not out (11.) ‘Superchargers’’ best batter was Jemimah Rodrigues 24(14); ‘Brave’s’ best bowlers were Kalea Moore 3/15 & Lauren Bell 3/21.
Match summary: Playing in their third final, ‘Brave’ were once again ‘let down’ (by losing 2 wickets from the first 10 balls) by batters said to have scored most of their runs. Commentators added that Brave’s top order were ‘in trouble’ early, chalking-up their tournament’s lowest ‘PowerPlay’ score. Opener Danni Wyatt 59(38) scored match-winning ‘fifty.’ Said to go ‘ballistic,’ England’s Freya Kemp 31(17) played an ‘unbelievable’ innings to chalk-up a defendable score. Kate Cross (’Superchargers’) was ‘fabulous’ with the ball, taking 2 wickets from her final set-of-five. ‘Superchargers’ previously chased down a similar target (135 against ‘Spirit’.) *Although Superchargers also lost their ‘in-form’ batters early, scores were level-pegging after the ‘Power-play’ and remained comparable until mid-way. *Crucially, big-hitting Jemimah Rodrigues (‘Superchargers’) was tactically deprived of batter’s strike, facing 14/73 deliveries. Keeper Rhianna Southby (‘Brave’) made three ‘stumpings.’ In concusion, having lifted the trophy at the third attempt, ‘Brave’s’ Head Coach Charlotte Edwards now holds two-out-of-three domestic trophies (having won her own cup for a second time with Vipers.) Outcome of the third (Rachael Heyhoe Flint trophy for 50 overs) to be decided over the next few weeks.
Southern Brave Women 139/6 won ‘The Hundred’ trophy beating Northern Superchargers Women 105/10 by 34 runs with 6 balls remaining
*’Brave’s’ batting: 139/6 (from 100 balls @1.3 runs-per-ball); Danni Wyatt 59(38), Freya Kemp 31(17); *’Superchargers’’ bowling: Kate Cross 3/21 Grace Ballinger 1/28, Lucy Higham 1/31; *Fow 1-4, 2-8, 3-95, 4-105, 5-136, 6-137.
*’Superchargers’’ batting: 105/10 from 94 balls @1.0 r-p-b; (target 140 from 100 balls); Jemimah Rodrigues 24(14), Phoebe Litchfield 13(11), Bess Heath 13(12), Kate Cross 12*not out(11), Lucy Higham 12(7), Hollie Armitage 11(14); *’Brave’s’ bowling: Kalea Moore 3/15, Lauren Bell 3/21, Chloe Tryon 2/28, Anya Shrubsole 1/18 Georgia Adams 1/21; Fow 1-0, 2-13, 3-35, 4-59, 5-66, 6-75, 7-78, 8-83, 9-103, 10-105.
*Scorecard courtesy of BBC Sport @URL https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/ECKE1000750
*Match highlights (06m11s) available courtesy of Sky Sports @URL https://www.skysports.com/the-hundred/video/36891/12949199/highlights-southern-brave-beat-northern-superchargers-to-womens-hundred-title
*Final standings @URL https://www.thehundred.com/standings/
