King channels Warne as Rockets blast off at Headingley

Trent Rockets 123 for 5 (Sciver-Brunt 36*, Scrivens 32, Sutherland 3-14) beat Northern Superchargers 103 (Higham 26, Graham 3-13) by 20 runs

Trent Rockets began their Hundred campaign in fine style, defeating Northern Superchargers by 20 runs at Headingley thanks to a superb performance from their spin arsenal.

Chasing 124 on a dry surface, last year’s runners-up could only manage 103 all out in 97 balls, Australian legspinner Alana King starring with 2 for 17 including a beauty that Shane Warne would have been proud of to clean bowl Bess Heath.

Lucy Higham top scored with 26 for the Superchargers, as King – in combination with fellow spinners Kirstie Gordon and Ash Gardner – turned the screw, Aussie seamer Heather Graham also impressing with 3 for 13.

Earlier, Grace Scrivens was fast out of the blocks for the Rockets, showing her class with six boundaries in her 32 from 22 balls before picking out Linsey Smith to give Annabel Sutherland the breakthrough.

Bryony Smith made 23 from 21 before becoming Sutherland’s second victim and Smith dismissed Gardner and Graham with consecutive deliveries to reduce the Rockets to 87 for 4.

Nat Sciver-Brunt made an unbeaten 36 from 34 in a fine all-round display, later picking up two wickets, but was kept in check by an impressive performance in the field from the Superchargers, with Sutherland trapping Katie George lbw to finish with 3 for 14 and restrict the visitors to 123 for 5.

They came up short with the bat, though, as the Rockets registered a commanding win.

“It was nice to have a bit of turn and grip in the wicket,” King said. “We saw that the wicket did a lot in the first innings so we just had to keep our processes really simple. I love to have a pitch with a little bit of turn and I was happy to play my part.

“It felt really nice out of the hand,” she said of the delivery which bowled Heath. “It’s a leg-spinner’s dream, so I’ll take that first pill. I’ve loved having Ash [Gardner] and HG [Graham] join the Rockets this year. We played three Aussies today and we loved getting the win.”