Superchargers collapse hands Fire first winpublished at 18:19 British Summer Time 26 August 2022
Tom Mallows
BBC Sport cricket writer
A stunning collapse from Northern Superchargers allowed Welsh Fire to secure their first win of this year’s Hundred.
Chasing 124, Superchargers looked to be cruising to victory as Hollie Armitage and Laura Wolvaardt put on 90 for the third wicket to leave them needing just 22 to win from 17 balls.
But Fire took four wickets in 12 balls for the cost of just six runs to leave Superchargers needing 15 from the final set.
Some fine death bowling from Annabel Sutherland then meant Superchargers could only limp to 112-6 as Fire won by 11 runs.
Sutherland had earlier hit an unbeaten 31 from 22 balls to help Fire reach 123-6, with Sarah Bryce top-scoring with 36 from 30 balls.
Welsh Fire stay bottom but are now level on points with seventh-placed Manchester Originals. Northern Superchargers stay fifth but face an uphill task to reach the eliminator after their third defeat from five games.
Here's what else happened:
- Sarah Bryce hit Rachael Slater for three successive fours.
- Nicola Carey smashed a lively 19 from 13 balls, including three switch-hits in a row for four.
- Wolvaardt scored 41 from 38 deliveries and Armitage 40 from 38 to lead the Superchargers recovery after being reduced to 12-2 from 13 balls.
- Wolvaardt, who hit an unbeaten 90 in Sunday’s win against Manchester Originals, is now top scorer in the women’s competition, with 236 runs from five innings.
What’s next?
Welsh Fire travel to Trent Rockets on Monday for their final game of the competition (15:30 BST).
Northern Superchargers’ final group game is against Southern Brave at Headingley on Wednesday (11:30).