Trent Rockets kept their hopes of reaching the latter stages of The Hundred alive despite winning only one of their first five matches with a thumping nine-wicket victory over Manchester Originals.
Lizelle Lee, Bryony Smith and Nat Sciver-Brunt made light work of chasing down a modest target of 108 with 36 balls to spare.
Lee combined power and placement in hitting 44 not out from 27 balls with six fours and two sixes, sharing an opening stand of 60 in 36 balls with Smith (28 off 19) before skipper Sciver-Brunt showed her class with an unbeaten 33 off 18.
Lizelle Lee top-scored for Trent Rockets, who need to win both remaining matches to have a chance of progressing
Deandra Dottin made 30 from 26 for the Originals, adding 40 for the third wicket with Laura Wolvaardt (23 from 31) before Amanda Jade-Wellington added 22 from 19 at the end of the innings but 107-5 always looked under par.
The Originals are not mathematically out of contention but, in truth, neither side is likely to be involved in the play-offs to decide the tournament. Originals made an unconvincing start after opting to bat first and never recovered, losing Emma Lamb and Fi Morris for 15 in the first 22 balls.
Lamb was caught at short fine-leg on the scoop as Katherine Sciver-Brunt, plainly still troubled by the hip injury that sidelined her for the last two games and coming in off a short run, claimed the first wicket. Morris hit Alexa Stonehouse straight to the fielder at mid-off.
Trent Rockets claimed a nine-wicket win with 36 balls to spare
With spinners Kirstie Gordon and Alana King stalling the Originals in their attempts to accelerate, the visitors had much to do to post a defendable total at 47-2 from 50.
As pressure mounted, Wolvaardt – missed by wicketkeeper Lizelle Lee off King on 16 – was stumped as Gordon darted one in flatter and the dangerous Dottin, put down on 28 by the normally reliable Jo Gardner, holed out to deep midwicket with only two added to her score.
Originals skipper Sophie Ecclestone, running on Wellington’s reverse sweep, was beaten by Gordon’s throw from point, leaving her side floundering at 72-5 from 77. Katie George joined Wellington in an enterprising finale that realised another 35 from 23 balls.
Yet the Rockets always fancied their chances chasing a target that quickly looked a formality as Smith and Lee piled on 49 in the powerplay, Smith hugely impressive with six boundaries, swept, pulled or hammered through cover, Lee chipping in with four. One sequence of 11 deliveries saw nine balls go to the rope, with no bowler spared.
A top edge off Ecclestone, whom she had hit for three boundaries in the England left-armer’s opening set, saw Smith caught at short fine-leg but her departure simply ushered in Nat Sciver-Brunt to show off her skills with five boundaries and finish the job in rapid time.
What’s next?
The Hundred continues on Friday at Lord’s, where London Spirit host the Northern Superchargers live on Sky Sports.
Friday 18th August 2:30pm
Friday 18th August 6:00pm
The women’s game is up first (2.30pm on air, 3pm start), where defeat for London Spirit will see them eliminated and victory for the Northern Superchargers will all-but guarantee them a top-three finish. 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), where the Spirit will be looking to keep their play-off hopes alive against a Superchargers side who can boost their hopes of a top-three finish alive with a win.
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