London Spirit Women kept their Hundred play-off hopes alive and dented reigning champions Oval Invincibles’ with a 21-run victory in a low-scoring game at The Kia Oval.
Spirit secured their first win of the season, after two defeats and two washouts, as they successfully defended 118-9, bowling their hosts out for 97 on Tuesday afternoon as New Zealand spinner Amelia Kerr bagged 3-16 from 20 balls.
The Lord’s-based side are four points adrift of the top three with three games remaining, one point behind fourth-placed Invincibles, who have just two matches left.
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Watch Amelia Kerr’s reaction catch as Spirit completed victory over Invincibles at The Kia Oval
Spirit slumped to 87-9 from 78 balls as Invincibles bowlers Marizanne Kapp, Sophia Smale, Mady Villiers and Ryana MacDonald-Gay each bagged two wickets – Kapp bowling her allocation of 20 balls early in the innings.
But last-wicket pair Lauren Filer (21no off 13) and Tara Norris (11no off 13) took the visitors into three figures, with the former smashing Alice Capsey for six and four in the final set of deliveries.
Marizanne Kapp took two wickets for Invincibles during their defeat at home to Spirit
Norris (2-19) removed Lauren Winfield-Hill (3) amid a slow-scoring start for the Invincibles, who then lost Capsey for 11 from six deliveries with the score on 25.
Kapp (30 off 24) and skipper Suzie Bates (24 off 35) took the hosts to 64-2 from 68 balls, cutting the requirement to 55 from 32 balls, only for both to then fall amid a collapse of 8-33.
Invincibles, winners of this competition in 2021 and 2022, now face a real fight to make finals weekend across August 26 and 27.
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Invincibles’ Paige Scholfield took an excellent catch to dismiss Spirit’s Sarah Glenn in Tuesday’s London derby
What’s next?
Wednesday 16th August 2:30pm
Wednesday 16th August 6:00pm
The Hundred continues on Wednesday, from The Ageas Bowl in Southampton, as Southern Brave take on Birmingham Phoenix live on Sky Sports.
The women’s game is up first (2.30pm on air, 3pm start) as a Brave side pushing for a top-three spot face rock-bottom Phoenix. Watch live on Sky Sports The Hundred, Sky Sports Mix or via a free stream on Sky Sports’ digital platforms.
The men’s match follows on Sky Sports The Hundred and Sky Sports Mix (6pm on air, 6.30pm start) with Brave and Phoenix both in play-off contention, despite the fact Phoenix prop up the table.
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