Smriti Mandhana’s half-century and Trent Rockets’ baffling tactics ensured victory for the Southern Brave in the opening encounter of The Hundred. They won by 27 runs.
Trent Rockets won the toss and decided to bowl. Southern Brave scored 157/6 in their quota of 100 balls. Trent Rockets, unlike their name, never really took off and managed 130/7, with only Nat Sciver-Brunt (49) and Harmanpreet Kaur (22) crossing the 20-run mark.
Southern Brave made an impressive start to their campaign with a commanding all-round performance. Their batters played a pivotal role in setting up the game, particularly Mandhana, who scored a valuable 55 of 36 balls to be named Player of the Match. She didn’t start well but kept gaining confidence and rhythm the longer she stayed at the crease.
Additionally, Maia Bouchier (31 off 18) and Danni Wyatt (27 off 27) contributed useful cameos. In fact, it was Bouchier’s innings that gave Southern Brave the tempo. Chloe Tryon’s 10-ball 23 not out ensured that the Southern Brave registered the highest total in Women’s Hundred at this venue in Nottingham.
Captain Anya Shrubsole entrusted the 18-year-old Mary Taylor with the duty of bowling the tough overs and she rose to the occasion, taking three wickets for a mere 18 runs, showcasing her composure under pressure. Tryon was brilliant at the death, giving away just 19 runs from 20 balls.
The Trent Rockets will have much to work on after this match. Their bowling inside the powerplay was abysmal, as they struggled to find rhythm. They bowled 11 wides and gave away 15 extras. With the bat, they appeared unsettled. The chase got off to a disastrous start with a run out off the very first ball, setting a negative tone for the rest of their innings.
When a team has the likes of Sciver-Brunt and Kaur in their batting line-up, why would it send Naomi Dattani with a huge total to chase. This proved costly as the team’s chances of victory dwindled. Duttani couldn’t time the ball and that put more pressure on Lizelle Lee at the other end. Eventually, both got out without making much.
Then on, Trent Rockets were just chasing the game. Sciver-Brunt showed glimpses of her recent international form, finding the fence regularly in the middle phase. She didn’t get much support and her efforts were not enough to rescue the Trent Rockets from a seemingly inevitable defeat.