Welsh Fire vs Oval Invincibles at Cardiff (Sophia Gardens) on 28 July 2024
Invincibles campaign for a third title remains on track, after a clinical win played before a record crowd of 7,000 spectators watching the Women’s Hundred in Wales. Fire posted a below-par score, well short of last year’s record score on the same ground. Beyond mid-way, Invincibles needed to score at one-run-per-ball. Key partnerships firstly between Alice Capsey and Paige Scholfield added 49 runs. Second partnership between Alice Capsey and Marizanne Kapp added another 41 runs. Finally, Marizanne Kapp stepped-up to strike the winning ‘four,’ after Alice Capsey departed. Alice Capsey (pictured) received POTM ‘Meerkat match hero’ cap-and-medal not only for scoring a match-winning ‘fifty;’ but she also became the second woman to score back-to-back ‘fifties’ since the competition began. Speaking post-match, Invincibles’ skipper Lauren Winfield-Hill said she was ‘in a good spot’ (Having won both opening home-and-away matches); and looked forward to Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka skipper) joining the squad for those matches remaining. Invincibles move to top slot after their second win with superior net-run rate to second-placed Spirit. Commentators for SKY Sports Cricket were Charles Dagnall (broadcaster & former county player) with Natalie Germanos (broadcaster & actress from Rep. South Africa TV); Simon Doull (NZ broadcaster & NZ international), & Robert ‘Crofty’ Croft MBE (Welsh cricketer, former England international.)
*Fire’s innings: *skipper Tammy Beaumont with international players Hayley Matthews (WIndies); Jess Jonassen (Australia); Also with Shabnim Ismail (Rep. South Africa) later substituted by Alex Griffiths;*[Lauren Winfield-Hill keeping wicket for Invincibles]; *Tammy Beaumont was caught ‘brilliantly’ by Lauren Winfield-Hill rolling to her right, with ’smart bowling’ from Marizanne Kapp; *After 25 balls power-play 17/1; *Hayley Matthews was caught by Marizanne Kapp charging-in from ‘cover-point’ to ‘extra-cover’,’ from Amanda-Jade Wellington; *Midway after 50 balls, 54/2; *Sophia Dunkley ’top-edged’ aerial, caught at ‘mid-on’ by Ryana MacDonald-Gay from Amanda-Jade Wellington’s third straight ‘googlie;’ *Sarah Bryce was bowled ‘flicking top of off-stump,’ (reported elsewhere as top-of-middle) by Ryana MacDonald-Gay’s slower ball (clocked at 55mph); *Looking to sweep too wide, Georgia Elwiss was bowled with ‘leg stump’ knocked back by Ryana MacDonald-Gay; *Fire’s batting: Sophia Dunkley 35(26), Jess Jonassen 32*not out(23), Sarah Bryce 20(18); *Invincibles’ bowling: Amanda-Jade Wellington 2/29, Ryana MacDonald-Gay 2/20, Marizanne Kapp 1/19;
*Invincibles’ innings: *skipper Lauren Winfield-Hill, with international players Laura Harris (Australia) who replaced Chamari Athapaththu for first two matches & Amanda-Jade Wellington (Australia); Also with Marizanne Kapp (Rep. South Africa); *[Sarah Bryce keeping wicket for Fire] *Lauren Winfield-Hill was caught at ‘mid-wicket’ by Tammy Beaumont for a second-ball duck from Shabnim Ismail; *After 25 balls power-play 42/1 (vs 17/1); *Shabnim Ismail left the field injured, substituted by Alex Griffiths; *Commentators added that remaining bowlers ‘had a tough time;’ *Paige Scholfield was caught at ‘mid-off’ by substitute; *Dropped on 23 and surviving ‘leg-before’ decision overturned upon review, Alice Capsey was caught by Hayley Matthews (also upon review), just inside the long-on boundary, from Georgia Davis; *Laura Harris was caught at mid-wicket by Sophia Dunkley from Georgia Davis’s slower ball; *Midway after 50 balls, 66/2 (vs 54/2);*Strategic time-out was called on 76/2 with 40 runs needed from 40 balls remaining; *As noted above, Marizanne Kapp struck the winning ‘four,’ *Invincibles’ batting: Alice Capsey 59(48), Marizanne Kapp 26*not out (19), Paige Scholfield 11(11); *Fire’s bowling: Georgia Davis 3/33, Shabnim Ismail 1/17;
*Match result: Oval Invincibles. 118/4 (@1.3 runs-per-ball target 117, from 88/100 balls) beat Welsh Fire 116/5 (@1.1 runs-per-ball from 100/100 balls) by six wickets (with 12 balls remaining)
*Edited highlights courtesy of SKY Sports Cricket free-to-air via YouTube [11m16s] @url https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SK3aHaXeXmE
*Fixtures @url https://www.ecb.co.uk/news/3801564/the-hundred-2024-fixtures
