Spirit and Originals win final-ball thrillers

The Hundred women’s competition, Sophia Gardens

London Spirit 124 (99 balls): Knott 47 (33); Davies 3-16, Levick 3-26

Welsh Fire 122-5 (100 balls): Dunkley 36 (29); Harris 1-4

Spirit won by two runs

London Spirit edged past Welsh Fire in a rematch of the 2024 final as they claimed a thrilling two-run win off the last ball at Sophia Gardens.

With seven needed from the last five balls and three from the final ball in Fire’s pursuit of 125, Australia’s Grace Harris held her nerve as Georgia Elwiss was brilliantly caught by Spirit skipper Charlie Dean at mid-off.

Fire had been in control of their chase at 101-2, with England opener Sophia Dunkley striking 36 and Australia’s Jess Jonassen making 29.

But Dunkley’s dismissal with 19 balls remaining gifted Spirit momentum and Fire stuttered, with Dean’s gamble with part-timer Harris to close out the game proving to be a masterstroke.

It was the second women’s match of the day to be won by two runs off the final ball, with Manchester Originals earlier hanging on to beat Oval Invincibles by the same margin.

Spirit remain unbeaten after two matches as they look to defend their title, while it is a morale-sapping defeat for Fire as they remain winless.

Fire’s bowlers started brilliantly as Spirit slipped to 85-7 after choosing to bat, but Australia all-rounder Charli Knott added a crucial 47 from 33 balls as they pushed on to 124 all out.

Kira Chathli and Georgia Redmayne added 34 for the first wicket before Fire leg-spinner Katie Levick took two wickets in two balls amid a collapse of four wickets for just one run.

The Hundred women’s competition, The Kia Oval

Manchester Originals 139-6 (100 balls): Mooney 70 (45); Kapp 2-22

Oval Invincibles 137-3 (100 balls): Lanning 56 (42); Ecclestone 1-18

Originals won by two runs

In the earlier women’s game on Saturday at The Kia Oval, Manchester Originals also held their nerve to claim a dramatic win by the same margin over Oval Invincibles.

Having set the Invincibles 140 to win, with captain Beth Mooney hitting a fine 70 from 45 balls, the Originals took just three wickets but maintained their discipline as the match went down to the last ball.

The game swung one way then the other in the closing stages, culminating in the Invincibles needing four to win off the final ball.

But Originals all-rounder Deandra Dottin nailed her yorker and Marizanne Kapp could only dig it out for a single.

Former Australia captain Meg Lanning led the way in the chase and when she was dropped on 52, with the ball going for four after slipping through Fi Morris’ grasp, it looked like being the Invincibles’ day.

However, she was caught in the deep next delivery and, despite Paige Scholfield thumping Dottin for six to leave the hosts needing five from two balls, the Invincibles fell to a second loss in two games.

It’s another four-game day on Sunday with double-headers in Southampton and Nottingham.

It starts at the Ageas Bowl with Southern Brave against Birmingham Phoenix (11:00/14:30 BST) before Trent Rockets face Northern Superchargers (14:30/ 18:00 BST) at Trent Bridge.