Manchester Originals vs Northern Superchargers at Old Trafford (Manchester) on 20 August 2023
A unique ‘Roses-allegiance’ match was supplemented by a big screen to broadcast live-coverage of the Women’s World Cup Final (football) from Sydney, Australia. Home-side’s victory was augmented by a ‘Spanish roar,’ at precisely the same moment when the World Cup was received (by Spain beating England’s ‘Lionesses 1-0.) ‘Superchargers’ had previously qualified in the top three teams, to play in the finals. Despite their narrow win, ‘Originals’ will finish with insufficient points to qualify for the tournament’s next stage. During the latter stage of the match, Kathryn Bryce partnered by Amanda-Jade Wellington played a match-winning partnership following their team’s earlier mid-order batting collapse. TV Statisticians must have known that Australia’s Amanda-Jade Wellington outperformed Kathryn Bryce with both Bat (A-JW batting 33*not out with 4 ‘fours’ from 26 balls; vs 32 runs from 27 balls with 3 ‘fours’); and Ball (A-JW bowling 2/17 vs 2/19); albeit by the narrowest of margins. Understandably, distracted commentators could have ‘gaffed’ by awarding POTM Meerkat Match Hero cap-and-medal to the wrong player? Introduced for SKY TV by Michael Atherton (ex England); Ollie Pope (England) & Liam Livingstone (England IT20 World Cup winner, 2022.) Match highlights courtesy of Sky Sports (please see below.) Weather was overcast with dense grey clouds and a ’nice cross-breeze.’
NSC-W *Skipper Hollie Armitage. [*Eleanor ‘Ellie’ Threlkeld keeping wicket for Originals] *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, & Linsey Smith * U19’s Grace Ballinger. *Marie Kelly 2(2) was caught at ‘long-on’ by Katie George from Mahika Gaur; *‘In-form’ batter Phoebe Litchfield 1(6) was bowled cheaply by ‘the best delivery ever seen,’ from Mahika Gaur, said to be a ‘huge’ wicket; *Jemimah Rodrigues 19(14) played ‘across-the-line,’ ‘middle-and-off,’ going ‘leg-before’ to Amanda-Jade Wellington’s leg-spin; *After 25 balls ‘Power-play,’ ‘Superchargers’ reached 33/2; *Alice Davidson-Richards 27(26) was caught at ‘long-on’ by Katie George from Kathryn Bryce ‘making no mistake this time.’ *Bess Heath 0(1) was ‘run out’ for a ‘golden duck’ (by substitute fielder Ami Campbell); *Georgia Wareham 1(2) was ‘caught-and-bowled’ by Fi Morris; *After 50 balls ‘Superchargers’ were 52/5; *Kate Cross 1(3) was ‘stumped’ by keeper Ellie Threlkeld, from Amanda-Jade Wellington; *Hollie Armitage 46(43) played a skipper’s innings, until ‘stumped’ by keeper Ellie Threlkeld, from Kathryn Bryce; *Best ’Superchargers’’ batter was Hollie Armitage 46(43); *Best ‘Originals’ bowler was Amanda-Jade Wellington who took 2/17.
MO-W *Skipper Sophie Ecclestone [*Bess Heath keeping wicket for ‘Superchargers’] *International players Laura Wolvaardt (Rep. South Africa), Amanda-Jade Wellington (Australia ‘A’ & WBBL ‘5-fer’ bowler) & Deandre Dottin (ex-WIndies); with England’s Sophie Ecclestone (*substitute fielder Ami Campbell); England ‘A’s’ Emma Lamb & Grace Scrivens (& u-19s) *Also with Scotland’s Kathryn Bryce. *Emma Lamb 4(2) was caught behind by keeper Bess Heath from Kate Cross ‘on Cross’ return to Old Trafford.’ *After 25 balls ‘Power-play,’ ‘Originals’ were 30/2 (vs 33/2) *Fi Morris 12(11) lofted to ‘mid-off,’ caught by Alice Davidson-Richards from Linsey Smith (1/22) *Laura Wolvaardt 8(11) was bowled ‘leg-stump’ by Georgia Wareham *’Lacking a defensive stance,’ Ellie Threlkeld 10(10) was bowled by Georgia Wareham *4 balls later upon review, Deandre Dottin 3(10) missed ‘high-up,’ going ‘leg-before’ from Georgia Wareham.*At mid-way, ‘Originals’ were 47/5 (vs 52/5); needing 61 runs from 50 balls. *Commentators mentioned a ‘procession’ of batters going for single-figures. *Kathryn Bryce 32(37) hit 3 ‘fours’ before going plumb ‘leg-before’ in-line with ‘leg-stump,’ from Lucy Higham *Skipper Sophie Ecclestone 1(1) accompanied by her ‘runner’ was quickly ‘run out’ by Phoebe Litchfield. *Facing the penultimate ball, Katie George 2*not out(1) scored the winning two runs. *Best ‘Originals’ batter was Amanda-Jade Wellington 33*not out (26) who hit 4 ‘fours.’ *Best ’Superchargers’ bowler was Georgia Wareham who took a 3-fer (3/7.)
Match summary: An evenly contested match played with ‘historic Roses rivalry,’ rather than a ‘dead rubber,’ with added entertainment provided not only by Spain winning the Women’s World Cup; but also Sophie Ecclestone (as the winning skipper) deciding to score a run in tandem to her runner despite her earlier injury. Earlier, ‘Originals’ newbie Mahika Gaur’s first set-of-ten balls took 2 ‘huge’ ‘Superchargers’ wickets (Marie Kelly & Phoebe Litchfield). POTM Meerkat Match Hero cap-and-medal winner Kathryn Bryce took the wickets of both ‘Superchargers’ top-scorers: Hollie Armitage 46(43), and Alice Davidson-Richards 27(26). Amanda-Jade Wellington also took two wickets. ‘Superchargers’ suffered a mid-order batting collapse, relying on POTM Meerkat Match Hero Kathryn Bryce partnered by Amanda-Jade Wellington together, hitting 7 ‘fours’ to take the match down to the last set-of-five balls. Their match-winning partnership was broken during the 4th-to-last ball when Kathryn Bryce went ‘leg-before’ to Lucy Higham. Added entertainment from victorious ‘Originals’ skipper Sophie Ecclestone who scored a single, in parallel with her ‘runner;’ but was ‘run out’ next ball with no batter seen arriving inside the Umpire’s review frame. Facing her first ball, Katie George hit the winning ‘two,’ with Amanda-Jade Wellington chalking-up the winning team’s top-score: 33*not out. After the match, commentators spoke of ‘triumph from disaster’ as ‘Originals’ triumphed over ‘Superchargers,’ bemoaning their insufficient points tally to qualify for the tournament’s next stage. From a different standpoint, the prospect of defeat by ‘Originals’ as their ‘Roses-rivals’ was inconsequential to ‘Superchargers’ who’d already qualified for the ‘Eliminator’ match to decide which teams will play in the tournament trophy final.
Match result: Manchester Originals Women 108/7 (target 108 from 100 balls) beat Northern Superchargers Women 107/8 by 3 wickets; (with 1 ball remaining)
*’Superchargers’’ batting: 107/8 (100 balls @1.0 runs-per-ball); Hollie Armitage 46(43), Alice Davidson-Richards 27(26), Jemimah Rodrigues 19(14); *‘Originals’s’ bowling: Amanda-Jade Wellington 2/17, Kathryn Bryce 2/19, Mahika Gaur 1/21, Fi Morris 1/16; Fow 1-2, 2-9, 3-45, 4-93, 5-93, 6-96, 7-99, 8-104.
*‘Originals’s batting: 108/7 (99/100 balls @1.0 runs-per-ball); Amanda-Jade Wellington 33*not out (26), Kathryn Bryce 32(37), Fi Morris 12(11), Ellie Threlkeld 10(10); *’Superchargers’ bowling: Georgia Wareham 3/7, Lucy Higham 1/17, Linsey Smith (1/22), Kate Cross 1/25; Fow 1-4, 2-22, 3-32, 4-39, 5-40, 6-105, 7-106.
*Scorecard courtesy of BBC Sport @URL https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/ECKE1000743
*Match highlights courtesy of Sky Sports @URL https://www.skysports.com/transfer/news/12123/12943724/the-hundred-manchester-originals-edge-northern-superchargers-amid-running-chaos-welsh-fire-beat-london-spirit-to-get-play-off-place
*Secret life of Wello, Episode 17- ‘Game Day Against Northern SuperChargers!’ by Amanda-Jade Wellington via YouTube @URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_hb4C3KAzU
