Both teams still seeking first win after final-ball drama
Lauren Bell defended seven off the final over on the way to figures of 4 for 11 • PA Photos/Getty Images
Northern Superchargers 100 for 7 (Davidson-Richard’s 27, Bell 4-11) tied with Southern Brave 100 for 8 (Tryon 25, Smith 2-24)
Kate Cross scrambled two runs off the final ball to level the scores and secure a tie between Northern Superchargers and Southern Brave in the Hundred.
On a slow and used wicket, boundary-hitting never looked easy and Superchargers’ chase of 100 was a nervous and fraught affair throughout, off the back of a first-innings batting effort from Southern Brave that was equally scrappy.
Brave – well marshalled by captain Georgia Adams – used the conditions and kept the stumps in play to maintain the pressure in the chase, and were thankful to England seamer Lauren Bell whose 4 for 11 was the standout performance of the game.
Both Phoebe Litchfield and Alice Davidson-Richards looked to have the chase in hand for Hollie Armitage’s side, but on a nip-and-tuck day that saw momentum swing this way and that, both players were dismissed just as they seemed to be putting their team’s nose in front.
Only Maia Bouchier and Chloe Tryon passed 20 for Southern Brave, but Rhianna Southby and Bell played a hugely important role with bat in hand to inch their team up to the psychologically important three-figure total.
As it was, Southern Brave’s total was just enough to not be surpassed by Superchargers, but both sides will feel they missed the opportunity to get their first win of the Hundred on the board.
Meerkat Match Hero Lauren Bell said: “The emotions were up and down! In that last set of five I had a lot of adrenaline. It was cool, that’s what we play cricket for.
“You just go ball by ball at the death, and see what player you’re bowling at. Pace-off was working on this pitch, and pace-on was a good variation, so it was ball by ball.
“The ideal final ball was a straight yorker and I don’t think I was too far away from executing. Maybe we should have just looked at the field a bit but what can you do, hindsight is lovely.”
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