Joe McConnell
The Oval Invincibles achieved the lowest women’s score in The Hundred history, losing by 64 points to the Northern Superchargers.
Annabel Sutherland laid the foundations for the visitors with an unbeaten 63, who ran out 146-4 after losing the toss and being forced to bat first in Friday afternoon’s match at The Oval.
The Australian all-rounder then did much of the damage with the ball and her team claimed their first win in the competition this year, winning 4-11 (her four wickets coming in the space of six balls) as the Invincibles collapsed to a record-low score of 64, all out in pursuit of the target.
The Superchargers did not get off to a great start with the bat, as two early wickets for left-handed medium speedster Rachel Slater, who dismissed opening bats Davina Perrin (8) and Hollie Armitage (2), reduced them to 35-2.
Sutherland led the way for the Superchargers as they crushed the Invincibles
Phoebe Litchfield’s rapid-fire 44 runs from 30 balls, including nine fours, as part of a half-century run with Sutherland got the visitors back on track before she was caught by Ryana MacDonald-Gay off the bowling of Mady Villiers.
Sutherland, however, held firm, hitting five fours and three sixes during her unbeaten score, with Bess Heath hitting 15 from 11 balls before Georgia Wareham (5no) joined her towards the end of the Superchargers’ innings.
The Invincibles’ 100 per cent record in the competition so far would have given them hope of reaching their target of 147, as would the entry of Chamari Athapaththu, the Sri Lanka captain making her first appearance in this year’s competition following her country’s success in the Asia Cup.
But Athapaththu made just one before being expertly caught by Kate Cross off the bowling of Linsey Smith. Two balls later, the Invincibles were five down when Cross bowled Villiers, the second of his two wickets having previously trapped Lauren Winfield-Hill in front.
Smith also got the better of Alice Capsey, while Marizanne Kapp was defeated by a run out and, at 23-5, the match was practically over.
Paige Scholfield (24) and Amanda Jade-Wellington (26) offered some resistance for the Invincibles, but Sutherland came back to clear the tail and put the Superchargers on the board with a comprehensive victory.
Player of the Match – Annabel Sutherland
“It feels so good to get a win on the scoreboard. I don’t think we were that far away in the last game with the draw.
“I think we felt pretty good as a group, we played really well and we haven’t quite put it together with the bat yet, so it’s nice to be able to get that out there.
“It was just the job of a couple of individuals to think about it and stay really positive.”
What’s next?
The Hundred tournament continues with four matches on Saturday. Birmingham Phoenix AND Brave of the South The women’s kick off the day at 11am, followed by the men at 2.30pm, with both matches live on Vscek Cricket.
Trent Rockets AND Welsh Fire The women will also clash at 2.30pm on Vscek Mix, followed by the men on Vscek Cricket at 6pm. Stream The Hundred and other sports with NOW.
