August 1, 2024

Matthews 78* Helps Firestorm to Victory at Lord’s

West Indies allrounder Hayley Matthews guided Welsh Fire to a record-breaking chase in The Hundred, defeating London Spirit and handing them their first-season loss at Lord’s. Matthews delivered a match-winning performance, scoring an unbeaten 78 off 46 balls, her highest in the competition, to help Welsh Fire chase down 150 for 5 with five balls remaining.

Freya Davies, a former London Spirit bowler, played a crucial role for Welsh Fire, taking 2 for 19, including the critical dismissals of Meg Lanning and Heather Knight. Despite powerful late hitting from Danni Gibson and Deepti Sharma, there needed to be more than London Spirit’s total. Matthews’ innings, which included 11 fours and two sixes, were pivotal, especially after surviving a close call when she was dropped on the boundary at 36.

Welsh Fire faced an early setback when captain Tammy Beaumont was dismissed for an LBW by Tara Norris on the first ball, which was confirmed after a review. London Spirit‘s Danni Gibson struck again, removing Sophia Dunkley with an edge behind. Norris followed up with a sharp catch at backward point to dismiss Sarah Bryce.

Hayley Matthews’ Heroics Guide Welsh Fire to Victory in Tense Chase

With 69 runs needed from 40 balls, Hayley Matthews became crucial for Welsh Fire, consistently finding the boundaries despite losing partners. A missed catch by Eva Gray on the boundary when Matthews was on 36 gave the home crowd a scare. Jess Jonassen added to the pressure by hitting Sophie Munro for a six. Matthews reached her half-century from 37 balls, striking consecutive boundaries off Sarah Glenn. Although Jonassen was later caught in the deep, Matthews kept Welsh Fire on track. She hit a six off Deepti Sharma and sealed the win with a boundary, securing their second victory. Despite London Spirit’s strong batting lineup aiming for a third consecutive win, Welsh Fire pulled off a remarkable chase.

London Spirit’s decision to draft former Australian captain Meg Lanning with their third pick in March is already proving wise. Lanning smashed 31 off 20 balls before being bowled by Freya Davies. Two balls earlier, Davies had dismissed Heather Knight, caught at cover.

Despite these setbacks, Danni Gibson and Deepti Sharma formed a strong partnership, adding 67 runs in 41 balls. Gibson led the charge with six boundaries and a six in her 25-ball 41, allowing Sharma, who was playing her first game since returning from the Asia Cup, to settle in. Sharma then showcased her power, finishing unbeaten on 39 from 26 balls.

London Spirit Off The Mark as Welsh Fire Burned by The Lord’s Pitch.

London Spirit secured their first win in The Hundred men’s competition with a tense three-wicket victory over Welsh Fire in a low-scoring match at Lord’s. Liam Dawson and Nathan Ellis were the stars with the ball, each taking three wickets as Welsh Fire struggled to 94 for nine. Dan Worrall set the tone by bowling 10 consecutive dot balls at the start of the innings.

In response, Matt Henry sparked hope for Welsh Fire by taking three quick wickets, but Dan Lawrence remained composed, scoring an unbeaten 29. His steady approach allowed Shimron Hetmyer the freedom to play aggressively, finishing with 30 not out and guiding London Spirit home with 13 balls to spare.

Earlier, Tom Kohler-Cadmore found it challenging against Worrall, failing to score off his first 10 balls and soon falling to a catch by Andre Russell. Worrall later dismissed Luke Wells, who had struck the only two sixes of the innings, while Dawson bowled Joe Clarke. Jonny Bairstow, the Fire’s captain, could only watch as he faced just two of the first 35 balls, unable to influence the game.

The England player hit a few boundaries when he finally got the strike but was bowled while attempting a risky shot, giving Nathan Ellis his first wicket. Ellis and Liam Dawson then tightened the pressure, allowing just 26 runs from their combined 40 balls. Dawson, a World Cup winner, showcased his skills on a tricky pitch, finishing with 3 for 10 as Welsh Fire struggled to an insufficient total.

Welsh Fire needed early breakthroughs, and Matt Henry delivered by dismissing Michael Pepper, Ollie Pope, and Adam Rossington, leaving London Spirit at 25 for 3. Haris Rauf, who later came close to a hat-trick, had Ravi Bopara caught behind. Dan Lawrence and Shimron Hetmyer then steadied the innings with a crucial 46-run partnership.

After Lawrence, who did the heavy lifting, was caught off Rauf and Andre Russell was bowled by Rauf on the next ball, Hetmyer capitalized on a missed stumping and a dropped catch. The West Indian finished the game with a six, securing the win and kickstarting London Spirit’s campaign.

Meerkat Match Hero Dawson said: “Tonight was a very big game for us after losing the first two. To get over the line will give us a huge amount of confidence. I have started nicely – it was a nice pitch to bowl on to put the ball in the right area and let the pitch do the work. It got a little bit tight in the end.”

Spirit captain Lawrence said: “Hopefully we can get a roll now and keep performing like that. The mistake I made was trying to get the game done as soon as possible. I was just trying to stay in and take calculated risks.”