Fire slump to heavy defeat by Superchargers

The Hundred women’s competition, Headingley

Northern Superchargers 141-4 (100 balls): Armitage 34* (27), Wareham 29 (17); Matthews 2-18

Welsh Fire 94 all out (98 balls): Beaumont 36 (21); Wareham 2-14

Superchargers won by 47 runs

Northern Superchargers claimed a commanding 47-run win as last year’s finalists Welsh Fire collapsed to 94 all out in The Hundred at Headingley.

After Superchargers posted 141-4 from their 100 balls, Fire quickly fell to 6-2 as openers Sophia Dunkley and Hayley Matthews departed.

Captain Tammy Beaumont briefly gave Fire hope, but when she was dismissed for 36 from 21 balls, the game was up and the visitors slumped to their lowest total in the women’s competition.

Australia all-rounder Georgia Wareham starred for Superchargers, hitting an unbeaten 29 from 17 balls in an unbroken stand of 52 with skipper Hollie Armitage, before taking 2-14 with her leg-spin and contributing to two runs out as well.

Having chosen to bat first, Superchargers found themselves pegged back by a wicket every time they seemed to be building momentum.

Annabel Sutherland looked in good touch but the Australia international – one of three in the home team – holed out off Matthews for 28 and at 89-4 from 65 balls, the innings could have gone either way.

Armitage and Wareham ensured things went in the Superchargers’ favour as they stayed together for the remainder of the innings.

The pair found the boundary regularly enough to keep the score moving and Wareham ended the innings with a bang, smashing a Jess Jonassen full toss into the stands.

Fire’s chase got off to the worst possible start with Dunkley run out after setting off for a single that was never on and, when Linsey Smith bowled the dangerous Matthews, the pressure was on.

Beaumont countered well, her experience shining through as she hit three sixes in an innings of controlled aggression, but a stand of 42 with Georgia Elwiss was ended by another run out.

Wareham removed Jonassen before Grace Ballinger struck the telling blow, having Beaumont caught at cover by Armitage to leave Fire 58-5 at the halfway stage.

There was no way back for Fire, with Superchargers bowlers targeting the stumps to great effect, taking five wickets from 19 balls that would have hit the timbers – including three bowled dismissals.

It’s a midlands derby on Friday as Birmingham Phoenix and Trent Rockets get up and running for the year in another double-header at Edgbaston.

The women’s game starts at 15:00 BST with the men’s match following at 18:30 BST.