London Spirit have maintained their perfect start to the women’s Hundred tournament by securing a thrilling three-wicket win over Manchester Originals at Emirates Old Trafford. The victory marks their third consecutive success, keeping their title defense firmly on track. Australian all-rounder Grace Harris once again proved to be the key player for Spirit, scoring an unbeaten 52 off just 32 balls. This was her second half-century in three matches, highlighting her consistent impact in the competition.
The match was a tightly contested affair, with Spirit sealing the win with just two balls to spare. After narrowly defeating Welsh Fire by two runs in their previous game, Spirit showed remarkable composure under pressure to edge out Originals in another nail-biting finish. The Originals were restricted to a modest total of 122 runs for six wickets from their 100-ball innings. West Indies batter Deandra Dottin led the charge with 36 runs off 30 balls, while Australia’s Beth Mooney added a quick 26 from 20 deliveries. Spirit captain Charlie Dean bowled with precision, claiming two wickets for 18 runs across her 20 overs.
Chasing the target, London Spirit faced early setbacks when Georgia Redmayne and Danielle Gibson fell in quick succession. However, Kira Chathli steadied the innings with a valuable 34 runs from 30 balls. Alongside Harris’s composed half-century, these contributions proved vital in guiding Spirit to victory. The closing moments were filled with tension as Spirit required nine runs from six balls with just three wickets remaining. Sarah Glenn rose to the occasion, hitting a crucial boundary off Kathryn Bryce’s hat-trick ball and following it up with another four to clinch the win on the 98th delivery.
The Hundred format brings a fast-paced dynamic to cricket, with each team facing 100 balls and the side with the highest runs declared the winner. Five bowlers are allowed per innings, each bowling up to 20 balls in sets of five or ten. Unlike traditional cricket, the overs consist of 10 balls before the teams switch ends. The powerplay covers the first 25 balls, during which only two fielders are permitted outside the 30-yard circle. If rain interrupts play, a minimum of 25 balls per side is required to constitute a match.
Looking ahead, Manchester Originals will next face Welsh Fire on Wednesday at 3pm, with live coverage on Sky Sports. The day will also feature Southern Brave taking on Northern Superchargers in the women’s competition from 11:30am. London Spirit will aim to continue their winning streak against Trent Rockets on Thursday at 3pm. Prior to these fixtures, Birmingham Phoenix will host Oval Invincibles on Tuesday at 3pm, with Invincibles seeking their first victory of the season.
