The Hundred: Jemimah Rodrigues leads Northern Superchargers to victory
- Published
The Hundred: Watch the best of Saturday's action
Women's Hundred: Emerald Headingley |
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Welsh Fire 130-8 (100 balls): Matthews 30 (20); L Smith 3-14 |
Northern Superchargers 131-4 (85 balls): Rodrigues 92* (43) |
Superchargers won by six wickets |
India batter Jemimah Rodrigues played the innings of The Hundred to almost single-handedly take Northern Superchargers to a six-wicket win over Welsh Fire.
In a dazzling mix of power and touch, the 20-year-old hit 92 not out from 43 balls - the highest score of the tournament - in a chase of 131 at Emerald Headingley.
Rodrigues is a livewire off the field - entertaining 430,000 followers on Instagram with singing, kickboxing and guitar playing - and delivered at the first attempt for the Superchargers, hitting a remarkable 17 fours and a six.
Her side were 19-4 after 18 balls before Rodrigues scored 87 runs in an unbroken partnership of 112 with Alice Davidson-Richards to wrap up victory with 15 balls to spare.
Hayley Matthews earlier made 30 in Welsh Fire's 130-8.
Rodrigues the superstar at Headingley
Watch the best of Rodrigues' unbeaten 92 for Superchargers
For Superchargers to win so comfortably from the position they were in was remarkable.
It was almost all down to Rodrigues, who is regarded as one of the brightest and most entertaining young players in the game.
The opener, born in Mumbai and the first India player to sign up for the tournament, timed the ball brilliantly but also placed wristy flicks and delicate glances in a sensational innings.
Rodrigues scored all around the wicket but her most productive area was straight on the off side, where she hit a number of elegant shots
"My dad always said it's not how much strength you have but how you use your brains," said Rodrigues, who says she got into cricket aged three when her grandfather gifted her a bat.
In the end, Welsh Fire looked as though they had no answer, and Headingley was cheering a new star.
"She gave herself a few balls and has manipulated the field," England World Cup winner Alex Hartley said.
"She has basically been able to hit the ball wherever she wants."
Shrubsole stands up for Southern Brave
Brave captain Shrubsole seals victory with fourth wicket
In the earlier women's game, a fine all-round performance from captain Anya Shrubsole helped Southern Brave beat Trent Rockets by 23 runs.
The England all-rounder hit 40 not out, sharing a crucial unbroken partnership of 76 with West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor to help the Brave recover from 18-3 - and then 57-5 - to post 133-5.
Shrubsole then took 4-13, including three wickets in the final five balls, to seal an impressive victory.
England team-mates Nat Sciver and Katherine Brunt kept the Rockets in their chase with a stand of 66. But when fell in the space of three balls - Sciver for 44 and Brunt for 22 - Rockets' chances were all but over and they limped to 110-7.
All the women's teams have now played once in the tournament. Brave are second in the table, a place behind the Superchargers.
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