Phoebe Litchfield, Jemimah Rodrigues dampen Spirit as Superchargers seal play-off berth
Northern Superchargers 136 for six (Litchfield 38, Rodrigues 30, Glenn 3-19) beat London Spirit 135 for 7 (Kerr 60*) by 4 wickets
Amelia Kerr‘s heroics with bat and ball proved in useless as London Spirit misplaced a nail-biter to Northern Superchargers by 4 wickets to bow out of competition the 2023 Women’s Hundred.
New Zealand allrounder Kerr struck an impressive 32-ball 60 with 9 fours to hold Spirit to 135 for 7 of their 100 balls.
She adopted that with 2 for twenty-four with the ball and Sarah Glenn returned 3 for 19 because the hosts made a valiant try and defend their tally and keep within the event.
But in-form Phoebe Litchfield’s 38 from 34 and 30 from Jemimah Rodrigues noticed Superchargers to 136 for six as they scraped house to all however e book their place within the knockout levels.
Invited to bat, Spirit misplaced Niamh Holland stumped by Bess Heath off Grace Ballinger and a subdued England skipper Heather Knight took seven balls to get off the mark, that means solely 22 got here from the powerplay.
All-rounder Danielle Gibson (24) pulled England fast Kate Cross for six solely to be bowled by Georgia Wareham and Grace Harris’s depressing event continued as she belted a Linsey Smith full toss straight to midwicket.
When Knight was run out Spirit have been 53 for 4, but it surely was right here the Kerr took cost, sweeping fantastically and hitting powerfully down the bottom.
Richa Ghosh cleared the ropes at mid-on because the pair added 37 in 26 balls, earlier than the Indian wicketkeeper discovered the secure arms of Cross from the bowling of Lucy Higham, however Kerr struck three boundaries in a row as 36 got here from the ultimate 20 to present the hosts one thing to bowl at.
Superchargers started scratchily, Marie Kelly feathering one from England fast Lauren Filer by to Ghosh, earlier than in-form Phoebe Litchfield survived an lbw shout by Charlie Dean, the not out name incorrectly reviewed.
Successive fours from Jemimah Rodrigues supplied impetus on the again finish of the powerplay, and Litchfield carried on the momentum, driving one from Tara Norris straight again over the bowler’s head.
Knight turned to Glenn and Kerr within the hope they’d discover the identical flip extracted by the Superchargers’ spinners. Rodrigues responded by chopping and pulling the New Zealander to the fence twice in a set, however Glenn lower brief the enjoyable trapping the abroad star lbw.
Kerr accounted for Hollie Armitage instantly after the strategic time-out, however Litchfield continued on, ramping Filer over the keeper and sweeping Kerr for one more 4.
Gibson in her flip got here in for some heavy therapy from the Australian and Bess Heath celebrated her England call-up by putting the identical bowler virtually into the Tavern. Heath perished attempting to repeat the stroke off Glenn and when Litchfield’s tried reverse sweep off Kerr didn’t go the space the sport was again within the stability.
Davidson-Richards gloved one to present Glenn a 3rd wicket and 15 have been wanted off the final 10, however Wareham and Cross struck very important fours and Norris dropped the England fast as Superchargers obtained house with a ball to spare.