Tammy Beaumont scripts history as she became the first-ever player in The Women’s Hundred history to score a century. The Welsh Fire skipper starred with the bat as she scored a blistering 118 off 61. Her knock included 20 fours and 2 sixes which means a total of 92 runs came just from boundaries.
The home side won the toss and asked the Trent Rockets to bowl. In just her second ball, Beaumont swept hard behind square leg and got going with a four. But she upped the ante in the third set with the ball in Bryony Smith’s hand. She amassed 14 runs from the set which included a straight four toward the long-off, a smack through the deep extra cover, and a straight smash for a maximum. This propelled the Rockets to go for a bowling change. With Naomi Dattani in, the opener greeted her with a four.
Beaumont kept going for her shots and after seven sets, she was at 40 off 20 which meant she was striking at a rate of 200. The debutant, Cassidy McCarthy came to bowl the eighth set but Beaumont was clear, she cleared the diving mid-off and got her eighth four of the innings and this took her to 46. The Blaze batter made a statement as she swept the ball to backward square leg and got to a well-made 25-ball-fifty. Even after Sophia Dunkley fell to an lbw off Alana King, Beaumont decided to keep the momentum with the Fire, she came down the track and turned the ball into a half volley and hit it for another maximum.
HISTORIC KNOCK – 118 in 61 Balls 🔥
Tammy Beaumont has become the first batter to score a century in the women's Hundred and has the highest-ever individual score in tournament history. #CricketTwitter #TheHundred pic.twitter.com/hp0uLRm9nf
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) August 14, 2023
Every shot from her bat was pleasing but the highlight came when she stuck McCarthy for four successive boundaries and in no time she raced away to 75 off 35. A slight hiccup came when King’s consecutive sets produced just four runs, but Beaumont made amends for it in the immediate next set off Dattani as she accumulated 18 runs from her set and this took her to 95 off 47.
On the 81st ball of the Fire innings, Alexa Stonehouse bowled to Beaumont and she took a single with a flick, that single gave The Hundred the first-ever women centurion. She fell on the penultimate delivery as the ball streamed right into the hands of the deep midwicket fielder, Jo Gardner.
Tammy Beaumont walked off the field, but not before etching her name in the history books. Every person, be it the Rockets players or the crowd, applauded her. It is not the first time in 2023 that she did something remarkable. During the Ashes, she became just the second English woman to score a hundred in all three formats. Her 208 in tests is the highest in the women’s cricket history of England.
🚨 RECORD ALERT 🚨
Tammy Beaumont becomes the first woman to score a century in The Hundred (52 balls faced).#CricketTwitter #TheHundred pic.twitter.com/fmnLx5ocIV
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) August 14, 2023
When asked about her innings, she said “I don’t know what’s just happened. I’ve had an absolute day out – great to put on a show for the fans. It’s amazing. Like I’ve said all summer, I’m not thinking about records when I’m out there.” (Via Sky Sports).
She shared a match-defining partnership of 100 off just 53 deliveries with Sarah Bryce, Beaumont added: “I love batting with Sarah, we play at the Blaze together as well.” (Via Sky Sports).
She last represented England in T20 cricket on 22nd January 2022, she said: “I’m someone who, if I feel like I can keep learning and keep improving, I don’t give up. It’s nice to perform but at the same time, England have got some amazing batters in T20 cricket and if I’m counted as one of them that’s pretty special.” (Via Sky Sports).
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