Rosa Simkin (@rosatalksball) – 18/08/24
The Hundred Women’s Final, Lord’s
Welsh Fire: 115/8 – Jonassen 54 (41), Glenn 2/17, Gray 2/26
London Spirit: 118/6 – Redmayne 34 (32), Knight 24 (18), Ismail 3/24
Spirit won by 4 wickets (with 2 balls remaining)
London Spirit win The Hundred for the first time, becoming the third name on The Hundred trophy, after beating Welsh Fire in front of a record 22,009 strong crowd on home soil.
“I think it’s a magnificent competition. I think this year the women’s competition especially there have been so many tight games, I think that’s probably why I’m so mentally tired! I think the quality of cricket has gone up and I think for women’s sport to keep moving forward that’s what you want! I think last year we started seeing that in throughout the Ashes, for the Women’s Ashes in-particular and I just hope it continues to grow and just gives the girls such a great platform to know what it’s like to play in front of such of massive crowds.” – Fire coach Gareth Breese on the importance of the tournament for the growth of women’s cricket.
“Record attendance, which is a pretty cool thing! I think our attendances here at Lord’s throughout the comp have been amazing. Another great advert for women’s cricket.” – Heather Knight
The First Innings
After losing the toss to Knight’s Spirit, Fire were put in to bat first and started on the front foot with 15 picked up by opening duo Beaumont and Dunkley in the first two sets against the pace of Gibson and Norris. However, the wicket of Dunkley soon came off the bowling of Norris, as she spooned a wide one to short third. Beaumont was next caught at mid-off off the bowling of Glenn, followed just three balls later by the wicket of Bryce caught lbw, leaving Fire 33/3 from 30 balls.
A rebuild job was required for Fire, and it arrived through the overseas duo of Hayley Matthews and Jess Jonassen with the pair adding 52 to the total, before a frustrated Matthews nicked one to Redmayne behind the stumps, with the previous Lord’s hero exiting for just 22 from 26 balls. Jonassen continued on to anchor the innings, lasting until the 99th ball before she was caught lbw by Eva Gray for a magnificent 54 (41), becoming the fifth Fire player to reach a half-century this season. Nevertheless it didn’t disguise Fire’s struggle to kick on in the middle and death phases, reaching just 115/8 from their 100 balls after low strike rates from those surrounding Jonassen.
A job well done for the Spirit bowling attack, with pace and spin combining with three wickets a piece. Eva Gray and Sarah Glenn were the pick of the bowlers wicket wise, with 2/26 & 2/17 respectively.
The Chase
Who better to start your chase in a high pressure final than Aussie duo Meg Lanning and Georgia Redmayne? The duo are first to the crease, and put on a steady 11/0 off the first ten against the pace of Shabnim Ismail and Freya Davies. Ismail gains the first wicket for Fire, with an inswinger smashing the middle stump to dismiss Lanning for four. The power-play pinch hitter of Cordelia Griffith enters the fold, with a couple of boundaries before edging it through to the keeper, 27/2 with Redmayne still at the crease.
Redmayne continues to make 34, including a 31 run partnership with England & Spirit skipper Heather Knight, followed quickly by a rapid 32 run partnership with Dani Gibson, who contributed 22 from 9 to push Spirit further towards their required total. Redmayne leaves the crease after being caught lbw by Freya Davies, leaving her side at 104/5 needing 11 from 11.
“We talked a lot about it this comp, trying not to have nervy chases and trying to break the back of them a little bit and I thought Dani Gibson did that brilliantly today. Her innings was a real stand out, for her to go in and be that brave and take the game on and take the pressure of for the rest of the batters.” – Heather Knight
Shabnim Ismail a key face for Fire in maintaining pressure, despite such a low total. After her opening spell of 1/9 Beaumont recalls her for the 56th ball, and is rewarded with the immediate wicket of Knight. The tale is the same when called upon for the 71st ball, gaining the crucial wicket of Gibson in a carbon copy to Knight’s wicket. The ball angled in at pace, perfect line and length to send the bails cartwheeling.
“It was just amazing to see how Tammy used all of our strike bowlers at that point (phase of Gibson & Redmayne). Obviously, we needed a wicket because the run chase was getting away from us.” – Fire Coach Gareth Breese
11 off the last 10 is the requirement for Spirit, with batting innings hero Jess Jonassen taking the ball, Abbey Freeborn the new batter on strike with experienced Indian international Deepti Sharma perched at the non-strikers. Five runs come off the first four at a steady rate, leaving Sharma on strike for the last. With every run crucial, Freeborn darts down the track in response to Sharma’s sweep, the ball is directed to midwicket leaving Freeborn no chance to get back to her crease, being run out as the consequence. 6 from 5 required.
The pressure of the final over falls on West Indies allrounder Hayley Matthews, following her struggle with bat earlier on. The spinner keeps it tidy for the first, with just a single allowed for Sharma. What follows is a full toss, which Charlie Dean fails to put away another single, four from three required, pressure falling to Spirit? Deepti Sharma shatters Welsh Fire hopes with a single shot, hoisting the ball over long-on for six, Ismail comes agonizingly close to a catch throwing herself over the rope, but there is no chance of completing it. Job done for Spirit, winning their first title on home soil.
“Yeah, I’m not the best watcher I’m not going to lie! I’m much more calm when I’m in control out in the middle but it was pretty nervy, what 50 odd balls watching from the shed. We were all trying to play it cool and pretend we were fine but no one was fine, everyone was a bit nervous. Yeah when it went in the air I just thought it was out! Yeah brilliant wrists by Deepti at the right time she’s got that experience and for her to finish it off was super special! Obviously won a trophy with her at Western Storm as well and said to her today another Lord’s final! Hopefully you’re on the right side this time. Really pleased with Deepti as well.”
Despite the loss for Fire there were some positive spells with ball, the stand-outs coming from the three wicket takers; Ismail (3/24), Davies (1/21) & Davis (1/15).
“I’m going to be very philosophical about this, I think looking at the bigger picture what a fantastic game of cricket that was. The girls have played amazing all season. We can look at so many different things across that, but right now I don’t think it is the time for that. I think we can obviously go through the old cliches, if we had a few more runs… if we had this… but all of us goal for the season was to really fight and run it down to the wire and we were 2 balls short of probably getting the result that we wanted.” – Fire Coach Gareth Breese on when the Final.
London Spirit became the third side to add their name to the trophy in four seasons after a clinical all-round performance.
““Yeah it was a bit of a scrappy one wasn’t it to be honest! Yeah the pitch was a bit up and down. Yeah delighted! It’s always pretty special playing a final at Lord’s. Bringing back memories sort-of post 2017 press conference so yeah obviously delighted to have picked up a trophy and credit to all of the players and staff, it’s been an unbelievable tournament. I think the way we’ve gelled really quickly, found our roles super fast and it feels like everyones been involved which has been lovely.” – Heather Knight on Spirit’s victory.
“Yeah really, really important, I think it’s been really cool playing with Meg! She’s probably not scored as many runs as she would’ve liked but yeah to be on the same side as her after years of playing against each other and battling. It still feels a bit weird when I say shot Meg and when she’s obviously going well it still feels quite strange, but it’s been really nice to obviously play with her and pick her brains and stuff and yeah Deepti was obviously an injury replacement in the end and yeah she’s been unbelievable, bat and ball her clarity, calmness and probably bar today her intent has been awesome and the willingness to sort of take the game on is something she’s worked really hard on so delighted she’s come in and done so well for us.” – Heather Knight on the importance of international talent.
