Rockets beat Brave to stay in knockout contention

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Nat Sciver-Brunt is the tournament's leading run-scorer
  • Author, Mike Peter
  • Role, 麻豆社 Sport Journalist

The Hundred women's competition, Utilita Bowl

Trent Rockets 155-7 (100 balls): Sciver-Brunt 60* (37); Bell 3-36

Southern Brave 131-6 (100 balls): Tryon 47* (31); Stonehouse 2-10

Trent Rockets won by 24 runs

Scorecard. Table

Trent Rockets kept their hopes of reaching the knockouts alive with a comfortable 24-run win over Southern Brave in the women's Hundred competition at the Utilita Bowl.

An impressive Rockets score of 155, featuring an unbeaten 60 from England all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt, proved impossible for Brave to chase, despite some late fireworks from Chloe Tryon.

Put in to bat, Rockets saw Linsey Smith run out from the first ball of the innings and Nat Wraith bowled by Lauren Cheatle for 12.

But Sciver-Brunt put on partnerships of 62 with Grace Scrivens (36) and 33 with Ash Gardner (18) to put Rockets in command.

Lauren Bell took three wickets in the final balls of the innings, including Australia internationals Heather Graham and Alana King from consecutive deliveries.

Brave were 1-2 within four balls, as teenager Alexa Stonehouse dismissed the dangerous pair of Danni Wyatt and Maia Bouchier for ducks.

Smriti Mandhana struck 42 to help rebuild the home side's innings, but her dismissal sparked three wickets falling within seven balls to leave Brave 86-6 with 24 balls remaining.

South Africa all-rounder Tyron (47*) clubbed four fours and two sixes to drag the Brave score towards respectability, but they finished well short of the total required.

What else do you need to know?

  • The Rockets stay in fifth, but now move within a point of third-placed London Spirit and fourth-placed Oval Invincibles, who are tied on seven points. All three teams have two matches remaining. Brave have already been eliminated from the competition.
  • Sciver-Brunt's 60 saw her move past opponent Wyatt to become the tournament's leading run-scorer. The Trent Rockets all-rounder has 269 runs, while Brave's opener has 225.
  • Bell will be frustrated she didn't claim the wicket of England teammate Sciver-Brunt when she was on 37. Her delivery ricocheted off bat and boot and onto the stumps, but failed to dislodge the bails.

'We held our nerve' - what they said

Rockets all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt: "Their batters put us under the pump, made us go through a few plans, we found the right one in the end and held our nerve with our skill.

"After the first four games we felt pretty down. Three close games and not coming out the right side of it. It takes some getting back for the next game, but we've come back strong in the following two matches.

"Two more games to go, who knows what will happen."

What is happening on Sunday?

It's a derby day in The Hundred on Sunday.

Oval Invincibles host London Spirit (women's at 11:00 BST, men's 14:30) and then Manchester Originals take on Northern Superchargers (women's at 14:30 BST, men's at 18:00).

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