Bopara runs by way of Superchargers to maintain Spirit in knockout competition
London Spirit 160 for six (Rossington 53, Wade 42, Mitchell 34) beat Northern Superchargers 147 for 7 (Brook 44, Hose 33, Bopara 4-21) by 13 runs
Ravi Bopara went kind villain to hero as London Spirit beat Northern Superchargers by 13 runs at Lord’s to maintain alive their hopes of a spot within the knockout levels.
The veteran allrounder dropped a sitter of a catch early in Superchargers’ tried chase of 161 however atoned – after which some – with ball in hand. He completed his spell with 4 for 21, together with the prize wicket of Harry Brook for 44 from 24 balls – the teen having performed like a person scorned following his omission from England’s provisional World Cup squad earlier this week.
Earlier, Adam Rossington made his second half-century in as many video games, sharing a stand of 66 in 32 balls for the third wicket with Matthew Wade (42) as the house facet posted 160 for six. Adil Rashid took 2 for 18 and Reece Topley 2 for 20 for the guests.
Zak Crawley struck three fours earlier than turning into Topley’s eleventh sufferer of the event, caught at mid-on by David Wiese. The England man stood his floor however a verify by the third umpire despatched him on his means.
Dan Lawrence did not keep lengthy, bowled by Rashid making an attempt a reverse-sweep, however Rossington picked up the place he’d left off in opposition to Oval Invincibles on Tuesday, unleashing a flurry of boundaries together with a six into the Mound Stand off Wiese.
The Essex wicketkeeper adopted up with successive sixes off South African Wayne Parnell, the primary a towering blow into the pavilion seats as his 50 got here up in 25 balls. Rossington’s pyrotechnics impressed Wade, who despatched one from Matthew Potts over the ropes in taking 18 from one set.
Rossington although misplaced the strike and with it his rhythm and shortly mishit Rashid into the fingers of mid-wicket. Wade adopted when Parnell trapped him in entrance and with that Spirit misplaced momentum, solely a late six from Daryl Mitchell (34 from 19) taking them to 160.
Under darkening skies, Lyth started by belting Dan Worrall into the stands however he ought to have been out for 8 when skying Jordan Thompson to Bopara at quick third, just for the Sussex man to spill the regulation likelihood. To compound the error, Matthew Short despatched the following ball into the gang. Lyth then celebrated his reprieve with a second six off Worrall.
Spirit’s ragged fielding gave Lyth a second life on 25, Nathan Ellis the wrongdoer, however his luck ran out when he despatched one from Liam Dawson into the fingers of Thompson.
Bopara although bowled a shocking opening set, first having Short caught within the deep earlier than knocking Tom Banton’s off stump out of its groove. Unsurprisingly the allrounder was saved on for one more set and promptly had Saif Zaib caught at quick high quality leg.
All eyes had been now on Brook who lofted one from Bopara into the gang earlier than crashing Thompson for 3 fours in a set. Critchley was handled with equal disdain, however Bopara returned to have Brook caught on the rope by Mitchell.
Hose continued to swing valiantly, however when he fell to Ellis’s gorgeous diving catch, 24 from the ultimate six proved too many as Ellis closed out the sport, bowling 15 of the ultimate 20 deliveries with a moist ball.