Birmingham Phoenix vs Northern Superchargers at Birmingham (Edgbaston) on 6 August 2024
Superchargers openers found it ‘difficult to get started’ with commentators noting possibly the second lowest competition power play-score. After Strategic-time-out was taken past mid-way, POTM ‘Meerkat match hero’ Alice Davidson-Richards (pictured) made top-score [49*not out runs (from 42 balls)], with Superchargers recovering to close on a half-decent score. Between innings, world-class players described batting conditions as ‘quite tough.’ Thereafter, statisticians scrambled to confirm the match will be remembered for Phoenix’s producing the lowest-ever score (to date) in the Women’s Hundred. Receiving the commemorative cap-and-medal from Eoin Morgan, ‘A D-R’ confirmed the pitch was ‘quite hard to bat on,’ and ‘difficult to find the middle’ (of the bat’s face) to ‘build an innings.’ Introduced for SKY Sports by Michael ‘Mike’ Atherton OBE (broadcaster, sports journalist & former England international) with Lydia Greenway OBE (broadcaster & former England international) Eoin Morgan CBE (former England international); Also with Stuart Broad (former England international): plus guest Superchargers’ players 1) Kate Cross; replaced by 2) Annabel Sutherland for last 25 balls.
Superchargers’ innings: skipper Hollie Armitage, with international players: Phoebe Litchfield, Annabel Sutherland & Georgia Wareham (all Australia); *With Davina Perrin for Marie Kelly; *[Amy Jones keeping wicket for Phoenix]; *Hollie Armitage feathered an edge and played-on for a golden duck, bowled by fellow skipper Ellyse Perry; *Phoebe Litchfield was caught by keeper Amy Jones from Ellyse Perry; *Six balls later, Davina Perrin steepled a catch from a ‘thick inside edge,’ taken by Ellyse Perry from Emily Arlott *Second-lowest ‘power-play’ score 25/3; *At mid-way (50 balls) 57/3; *‘Strategic-time-out’ was taken with commentators urging to ‘get a move-on’ (to make a reasonable score) ‘to bowl at’; *’Shift in momentum’ gave bowlers ‘something to bowl at;’ *Breakthrough came when Annabel Sutherland was from the underside, caught skilfully by keeper Amy Jones from Emily Arlott; *Bess Heath was caught aerial at ‘mid-on’ by Emily Arlott from Charis Pavely ‘who didn’t have to move;’ ’Facing 19 balls without a boundary facing spinners Katie Levick and Charis Pavely’ *One run short of ‘fifty’ Alice Davidson-Richards finished at the non-striker’s end; Georgia Wareham struck ‘four’ from the final ball; *Superchargers’ batting: Alice Davidson-Richards 49*not out (42), Annabel Sutherland 30(23), Phoebe Litchfield 14(11); *Phoenix’s bowling: Ellyse Perry 2/13, Emily ‘Em’ Arlott 2/22, Charis Pavely 1/22;
*Phoenix’s innings: *skipper Ellyse Perry (Australia), with other international players Sterre Kalis (NL), Sophie Devine (New Zealand) & Richa Ghosh replacing Suzie Bates NZ; *Without *Issy Wong; *[Bess Heath keeping wicket for Superchargers]; *Sterre Kalis played-on from bottom bat-edge to leg-stump, from Grace Ballinger’s ball ‘that kept low, for a fifth-ball duck;’ *Ellyse Perry hit a dead-straight ball, caught-and-bowled by Linsey Smith; *Lowest ever ‘power-play’ score 13/2 (vs 15/3) after 25 balls; *Amy Jones was caught low by Annabel Sutherland, from Kate Cross; *Second-lowest mid-way score (for 50 balls) 23/4; *Upon review, Richa Ghosh went ‘leg-before’ to Georgia Wareham for a fifth ball duck; *Sophie Devine was caught at ‘extra cover’ by Hollie Armitage, from Annabel Sutherland’s ‘full-toss’; *Fran Wilson caught at ‘mid-off’ by Kate Cross, from Grace Ballinger; *One of two batters who scored double-figures, Seren Smale was bowled by Georgia Wareham; *Emily ‘Em Arlott’ was caught by Kate Cross from, Linsey Smith; *Next ball Hannah Baker was bowled beneath her bat to ‘middle stump’ for a golden duck, from Linsey Smith; *Two balls later, Katie Levick was caught by Linsey Smith’s sprawling catch for a second-ball duck, from Georgia Wareham; *Phoenix’s batting: Sophie Devine 20(25), Seren Smale 16(20); *Superchargers’ bowling: Linsey Smith 3/12, Georgia Wareham 3/12, Grace Ballinger 2/15, Annabel Sutherland 1/5, Kate Cross 1/9;
*Match result: Northern Superchargers 115/5 (1.1 runs-per-ball, from 100/100) beat Birmingham Phoenix 54/10 (0.6 r-p-b, target 116 from 86/100) by 61 runs
*Results with link to match centre for edited highlights courtesy of The Hundred (Women) @url https://edgbaston.com/fixtures/womens/birmingham-phoenix-vs-northern-superchargers-6-august-2024/
*Fixtures @url https://www.ecb.co.uk/news/3801564/the-hundred-2024-fixtures
