Followed by a low-scoring encounter in match no.8 between the Northern Superchargers and Southern Brave, the Oval had yet another low-scoring game in store for us.
The Invincibles were put into a bat by Welsh Fire on what seemed like a tricky deck. Keeper Winfield-Hill and Suzie Bates began proceedings as they opened the innings. And what went on to happen next was unprecedented, while Winfield-Hill stood her ground on one end, she kept losing her companions on the other.
Fueled by fantabulous bowling from Claire Nicholas (1/17), Shabnim Ismail (3/12), Freya Davies (1/15), Georgia Elwis (2/4), Alex Griffiths (2/15), The Invincibles lost wickets like a deck of cards falling. Thanks to Winfield-Hill who scored 42(35), she ensured that Invincibles had something to defend in the second innings.
The story was no different as Welsh Fire lost both openers, Beaumont and Matthews for a duck. The pitch’s nature was assisting bowlers and in addition to this, the overcast conditions added to the woes of the batters. The Welsh Fire were desperate to get a partnership going. And with Sophia Dunkley and Georgia Elwiss in the middle, all of a sudden runs started easing by. Both batters batted cautiously and waited to punish the bad balls.
The duo successfully stitched together a partnership of 40(38) after which Dunkley 28(21) fell prey to Scholfield. The drama continued as Laura Harris also departed for a duck making it the third in the innings. But Elwiss was joined by Bryce in the middle and the duo were successful in stitching a partnership of 24 in just 17 deliveries. This was a very essential partnership in the context of the game, which eventually drove Welsh Fire home by 3 wickets with 20 balls to spare.
Welsh Fire were resilient enough to battle out Invincibles’ fiery bowlers and negate the odds. It was the two crucial partnerships for Welsh Fire that helped them move up in the points table.
On the other end, The Invincibles might have fallen short but their never die attitude took the game to the very end with a mere total of just 80. Marizanne Kapp (4/18), Paige Scholfield (2/19), and Sophia Smale (1/5) bowled magnificently well with the scoreboard pressure being present from the very beginning.
Welsh Fire beat Oval Invincibles by 3 Wickets. 🔥
Shabnim Ismail declared 'Player of the Match' for her 3/12#CricketTwitter #TheHundred pic.twitter.com/6ELf0gCLX8
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) August 6, 2023
Shabnim Ismail was awarded the player of the match for her (3/12) in the first innings which laid the foundational base for Welsh Fire to ride on.