The 1st game of the 2nd edition of the Hundred saw Oval Invincibles and Northern Supercharges lock horns. The latter batting first got to a competitive total of 143 that the Oval Invincibles in reply chased down with complete ease to bag a comprehensive win in the season’s opener.
1st innings: Northern Supercharges – 143/5 (100)
Oval Invincibles won the toss and opt to field first. Alyssa Healy got the tournament underway in style with a maximum off the 2nd ball and got a couple away to the fence before Sophia Smale struck her on 15(7). Just as Jemimah Rodrigues started to deal in boundaries, Supercharges lost a couple of quick wickets in Bess Heath on 6(6) and Hollie Armitage 1(3) who were dismissed by Alice Capsey and Shabnim Ismail respectively. The pair of Jemimah alongside Laura Wolvaardt going got well for Superchargers, the duo stitched a crucial partnership and in the process, Jemimah with a boundary got to her half-century but off the very next ball was dismissed on 51(32) and with the wicket, Ryana got the 66-run stand to an end. Alice Richards got going with a boundary first ball, but then the play went all quiet as only singles were on offer.
First Fifty of the Women’s Hundred 2022!
51 off just 32 Balls – Jemimah Rodrigues kick-starts her tournament in style 👏#CricketTwitter #TheHundred pic.twitter.com/GV8YhKDXGE
— Female Cricket #B2022 (@imfemalecricket) August 11, 2022
Just before the close of the innings, Laura pushed her foot on the accelerator and got a couple of fours and a six before being dismissed off the last 100th ball off Ryana on 49(39) with Alice unbeaten on 12(14); Northern Superchargers finished with a total of 143 in their 100 ball innings. With the ball, Invincibles had Ryana with a couple to her name conceding 25 runs off her 25 deliveries top the wickets chart. Eva Gray and Dane van Niekerk remained wicketless but bowled economical spells for their side.
2nd innings : Oval Invincibles – 146/1 (84)
Oval Invincible in reply had openers, Suzie Bates get her innings underway with a couple of boundaries and so did Lauren Winfield-Hill from the other end who add a maximum to the tally as well. After an aggressive start, the innings slowed down to 1’s and 2’s with Alice Richards and Katie Levick operating with the ball in hand. Off Linsey Smith’s bowling there came a welcome boundary Invincibles way and it from there on was all carnage.
Lauren Winfield-Hill got a few away to the fence in quick succession and with a couple off the next delivery got to her 50*. Suzie Bates too on the other end got a maximum and a couple of boundaries which got up the duo’s 100-run opening stand. Deliveries later, Suzie Bates on 46(34) walked back which got Alice Capsey to the middle. Lauren Winfield-Hill continued on her merry having struck three to the fence and then Alice Capsey topped the show from the other end having followed her maximum with 4 successive boundaries to seal the win for Oval Invincibles by 9 wickets in 84 deliveries. Northern Superchargers with the ball had Jenny Gunn pick the only wicket and saw Katie Levick enjoy an economical outing.
Comfortable 9 Wicket victory for the defending champions Oval Invincibles
Lauren Winfield-Hill played a captain’s knock scoring 74* in 42 Balls#CricketTwitter #TheHundred pic.twitter.com/JILjBB4DbW
— Female Cricket #B2022 (@imfemalecricket) August 11, 2022
A thumping win this for Oval Invincible who failed to close out well with the ball, but with the bat got to a clinical victory. Northern Superchargers did have a competitive total on the board but with the ball after a strong comeback in the middle passage of play just couldn’t carry the same momentum post which they lost the plot to the Invincibles carnage.