Hayley Matthews' match-defining innings saw her finish unbeaten on 78 off 46 balls, while Laura Woolvardt steers Manchester Originals past Southern Brave ;watch every match from the women's and men's competitions in the 2024 edition of The Hundred live on Sky Sports
Thursday 1 August 2024 19:07, UK
Welsh Fire completed their highest-ever chase in The Hundred to inflict the first defeat of this year's competition on London Spirit at Lord's.
West Indies star Hayley Matthews did the damage with an unbeaten 78 from 46 balls - her highest score in the competition - as the visitors chased down Spirit's 150 with five balls to spare.
Former Spirit right-armer Freya Davies claimed two for 19, including the key wickets of Meg Lanning and Heather Knight, as the home side's total was built on the back of powerful late hitting from Danni Gibson and Deepti Sharma.
Matthews was the difference though, striking 11 fours and two sixes in a match-defining innings after she had been dropped on the rope when on 36.
Fire lost skipper Tammy Beaumont early when Tara Norris trapped her lbw on review with her first ball. Gibson's day then got even better when Sophia Dunkley tickled an edge behind before Norris held a sharp catch at backward point off her bowling to remove Sarah Bryce.
With 69 needed from 40 balls, the key to the game rested with Matthews, who was finding the boundaries regularly despite wickets at the other end.
Eva Gray spilled a tough chance over the rope when Matthews was on 36, prompting some nervous murmurs from the home crowd before Jess Jonassen slapped Sophie Munro into the stands.
Matthews reached her half-century from 37 balls, hitting back-to-back boundaries off England leg-spinner Sarah Glenn, who arrested some of the Fire's growing momentum when Jonassen miscued to Cordelia Griffith in the deep.
But by that stage it was the 'Matthews Show' as she crashed Sharma for a straight six, leaving 10 needed off nine, and fittingly won the game with another boundary to secure a second win of the competition for the Welsh side.
"Chasing that score we felt that we needed one of our top batters to bat deep," Matthews told Sky Sports Cricket.
"I gave myself a chance early on and I saw them pretty well. It's been four years with this team and it feels like a second home for me. Playing for Wales is a big thing representing an entire nation and I'm pretty proud."
Her captain Beaumont told Sky Sports Cricket:
"Hayley Matthews - I could kiss her right now. She saw the opportunity and the way she just flicks the switch I think she is unbelievable. To take those brave options on I think she was amazing.
"I don't think we've ever won at Lord's either so we have that off our back too. If your big players stand up at big times that's a great sign and Hayley did that today."
Laura Woolvardt's unbeaten 78 steered Manchester Originals to a six-wicket win over defending champions Southern Brave at the Utilita Bowl.
Brave have now failed to win any of their opening three games and were undone by a Woolvardt batting masterclass as the South African timed the chase perfectly to get her side home with two balls to spare.
Woolvardt shared an 80-run second-wicket partnership with Eve Jones, who added 39, to break the back of the chase after Brave posted 136 for five.
Danni Wyatt top-scored for the hosts with 61 from 46 balls while Sophie Ecclestone claimed two for 17.
Wyatt and Maia Bouchier got Brave off to a fast start with a 51-run stand from 35 balls. Kim Garth made the initial breakthrough bowling Bouchier before Wyatt and Charli Knott added 68.
England spinner Ecclestone removed both in the space of three balls and Woolvardt held a stunning catch running backwards to leave the game evenly poised at the change of innings.
Lauren Cheatle won the battle with her countrywoman Beth Mooney, who edged behind dancing down the wicket, but from there Woolvardt and Jones took charge.
Woolvardt hit 11 boundaries in her 52-ball innings while Jones kept the scoreboard ticking before picking out Knott at long-off from the bowling of Georgia Adams.
Ecclestone launched a six in her brief stay as Woolvardt remained to secure a second win for the Originals and leave Brave's title defence in need of work.
"It's nice to chase a big score and it will be good for our group," said Woolvardt.
"I didn't get off to the start that I wanted and I think they bowled quite well in the middle. I felt like I wasn't getting the boundaries I wanted but I knew we had the firepower so I just tried to take it deep. Eve was amazing. She has been whacking them in every game so far and she really played to her strengths."
There's more action from The Hundred on Friday live on Sky Sports and also streamed - for free - on the Sky Sports Cricket YouTube channel.
Oval Invincibles women take on the northern superchargers looking to build on their strong start of two wins from two games live from 2:30 pm. Stream The Hundred and more sport with NOW.
