The Hundred 2023: Phoebe Litchfield's superb fifty sets up Northern Superchargers win over Oval Invincibles

Best shots as Litchfield hits impressive 68

By Sam Drury
BBC Sport

The Hundred, women's competition; Northern Superchargers v Oval Invincibles

Northern Superchargers 143-4 (100 balls): Litchfield 68 (45), Armitage 42 (33); Kapp 2-22

Oval Invincibles 129-5 (100 balls): Griffith 30* (15); Wareham 2-20

Northern Superchargers won by 14 runs

Scorecard, Table

Phoebe Litchfield made a brilliant 68 from 45 balls as Northern Superchargers beat Oval Invincibles in The Hundred to move to within a point of top spot.

Litchfield showed poise, power and panache in a sparkling knock, putting on 94 with captain Hollie Armitage, as the Superchargers made 143-4.

Invincibles struggled in reply and despite Cordelia Griffith's late cameo, they ended 14 short on 129-5.

The two-time winners now face a battle to reach the knockout stage.

Whiteley's stunning catch leads plays of the day

What else do you need to know?

  • Invincibles all-rounder Marizanne Kapp bowled the dangerous Jemimah Rodrigues with the third ball of the match and dismissed Marie Kelly soon afterwards to reduce the Superchargers to 15-2 before Litchfield and Armitage hit back for the home side.

  • Litchfield is now the leading run-scorer in this year's women's competition with 148 runs in four innings, four ahead of fellow left-hander Smriti Mandhana of Southern Brave.

  • Lauren Winfield-Hill rode her luck in an innings of 19 from 14 balls. The Invincibles wicketkeeper-batter was dropped on one by Grace Ballinger, who then bowled her on 15. However, Ballinger had overstepped with the no-ball denying her a first wicket in The Hundred.

  • Alice Capsey was dismissed in strange circumstances on her 19th birthday. She was down the pitch to Georgia Wareham, missed and kept walking. However, wicketkeeper Bess Heath twice fumbled the ball before completing the stumping and, had she tried, Capsey would likely have got back in time.

  • After winning the women's competition in 2021 and 2022, the Invincibles have won just one of their first four games this campaign and are three points off the top three with three matches to play.

Watch 'bizarre dismissal' as Capsey stumped in comical fashion by Heath

'We've gelled nicely' - what they said

Match Hero, Northern Superchargers' Phoebe Litchfield: "Me and the skipper, we spoke about hitting the big pockets and running hard and then the boundaries came our way. It was a big partnership which we needed in the middle.

"I am not the biggest hitter. I can't really hit a six over mid-wicket so I have to try and work into the pockets and my aim is to move fielders round the pitch and score two and fours when I can.

"I think there were seven debutants in our first game. I think we've gelled really nicely."

You can watch Hundred matches on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer every Wednesday and Saturday throughout the competition, alongside both finals on Sunday, 27 August. More details.

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