Nat Sciver-Brunt’s 56 from 46 balls could not claim a dramatic victory for Trent Rockets as they fell to the Manchester Originals by one run.
Needing 138 for victory, Sciver-Brunt came out to the middle and made her time count, eight fours moving the Rockets towards the big total.
However, a star showing with the ball from Lauren Filer (2-26) to remove opener Bryony Smith (8 from 8) and Nat Wraith (17 from 11), plus the stumping of Grace Scrivens (9 from 12) from a classy Sophie Ecclestone (1-19) ball dented the Rockets’ attack and set up the dramatic finish.
While Sciver-Brunt could only find two runs from the final ball, three runs would have earned her side a draw, four runs clinching a victory by the smallest of margins.
The dismissal of the ever-dangerous Ash Gardner (36 from 23) by Kathryn Bryce (1-24) with just three balls remaining also proved a pivotal moment in the game.
Bryce’s momentum-swinging intervention rounded off an excellent team performance for the Originals, who would have been happy to post 137-6 on a slow pitch after being asked to bat first.
Eve Jones (34), Beth Mooney (24) and Bryce (32) were the mainstays of their effort, their highest total since 2022, and once again Ecclestone added late momentum with a powerful five-ball 13 that included two sixes.
Early wickets in Trent Rockets’ reply from the pacy and impressive Filer saw the Originals ahead of the game but once Sciver-Brunt and Gardner came together the Rockets appeared increasingly comfortable despite the rising run-rate.
When Sciver-Brunt hit Ecclestone for two fours within the final 15 deliveries, she appeared to have done enough to make it two wins from two for her team but Bryce and the Originals had the final say to get the Rockets off the mark.
Trent Rockets now currently sit in third in the table, with the Manchester Originals in fifth.
Player of the match – Lauren Filer
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Meerkat match hero Lauren Filer looked back at her team’s close win against Trent Rockets
“It was such a good team performance today. Everyone did their job and it was so great to get over the line.
“I think we batted very well… so I thought it was a good total.
“I think it was just doing the simple things for longer and nailing our skills. I think we did that today.”
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The Hundred is back for 2024 with every game live on Sky Sports between July 23 and August 18
What’s next?
The Hundred continues on Tuesday July 30 with two more big games coming your way.
Northern Superchargers Women take on Southern Brave Women from 3pm which will be followed by Northern Superchargers Men vs Southern Brave Men at 6.35pm.
Sky Sports will show all 68 games in The Hundred live, while you can also watch selected matches via free streams on Sky Sports’ digital platforms and the Sky Sports Cricket YouTube channel.