The Hundred 2023: Northern Superchargers progress to women's final after eliminator abandoned

Northern Superchargers are through to the final of the women's Hundred after rain ruined their eliminator against Welsh Fire.

In a game reduced to 95 balls at The Oval, Fire had reached 104-2 from 75 when a lightning threat delayed play.

Heavy rain arrived soon after, with the game abandoned at 16:40 BST.

The Superchargers advance to play Southern Brave in Sunday's final at Lord's by virtue of having finished higher than Fire in the group stage.

Superchargers only climbed above Fire into second by beating the Welsh side in the final group game at Headingley on Tuesday.

This defeat ends the career of former England spinner Alex Hartley, who will retire at the end of The Hundred but was not included in the Fire XI on Saturday.

Sunday's final between Southern Brave and Northen Superchargers is live on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer from 14:00 BST.

Fire extinguished by Oval weather

This was a cruel way for Fire to go out, ending their remarkable first run to the Hundred knockouts after finishing bottom of the eight teams in each of the previous two seasons.

It is the first time in the three seasons of The Hundred that an eliminator had been washed out, handing the advantage to the side that finished higher in the league.

Fire were just beginning to gather momentum when the bad weather, which had previously delayed the start by 45 minutes, returned.

Despite opener Sophia Dunkley making 38 from 28 balls, the match felt evenly poised when Hayley Matthews fell for 10, leaving Fire 81-2 from 66 balls.

But the arrival of Australia's Laura Harris, who reverse-hit her third ball for four, added impetus to the Fire innings.

Tammy Beaumont, dropped on five by Phoebe Litchfield, had plodded to 29 from 27 balls, but she too was swept into Harris' slipstream.

Harris and Beaumont hit England's Kate Cross for a six each in the five balls immediately before the bad weather, compounding a difficult day for Cross that saw her concede 34 runs from 15 balls.

Fire were primed to launch into a late assault, only to be denied by the elements.

'We definitely deserve our place in the final' - what they said

Northern Superchargers captain Hollie Armitage on BBC Two: "Mother nature was on our side today. It's hard for Welsh Fire and it's not how anyone would like to go out of a competition.

"But I'm proud of my team because we definitely deserve our place in the final. It's mixed emotions right now because of how it has come to an end here, but the excitement will kick in soon.

"We are ready for a competitive game on Sunday. We've got a lot of confidence even though we know they are a very strong team.

"We are playing as a real unit and we showed that with the ball and in the field today. It was only 75 balls but it has given us a lot of confidence."

Welsh Fire's Alex Hartley to BBC Sport: "It has been everything I've ever dreamed of doing. That little girl who pulled on an England shirt would be so proud. It would have been amazing to go out at Lord's but we can only blame ourselves for finishing third in the table.

"I always said whatever happened this weekend I am going out on a high. I had a mental health break earlier in the year and I came back and fell in love with cricket again, I am very happy."

On this season: "It has been incredible. To turn it around from last year to this year, everyone can give themselves a pat on the back. We were the team that nobody wanted to play for but we are now a team that people will want to play for."