Northern Superchargers snapped Southern Brave’s eight-match winning streak to clinch their first Hundred title and deny their opponents a second as well as the first unbeaten season in the tournament’s five-year history.
Brave had been impeccable throughout the group stage, including beating Superchargers by eight wickets at home, but they came unstuck in Sunday’s Lord’s final, losing by seven wickets.
Georgia Adams’ side were restricted to an under-par 115-6 before Superchargers reached their target with 12 balls to spare after a six from Annabel Sutherland (28no off 25) to exact revenge for their 34-run defeat to Brave in the 2023 final.
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Lauren Bell’s luck was out for the Southern Brave as her delivery clipped the stumps but the bail stayed on during The Hundred final against Northern Superchargers.
Brave would have taken two wickets in as many balls – and reduced Superchargers to 59-4 after 45 – had they reviewed for Nicola Carey (35no off 25) lbw to Chloe Tryon, moments after Phoebe Litchfield (26 off 13) was out to a limp sweep following a four-laden cameo.
Australian duo Carey and Sutherland guided Superchargers home with an unbroken stand of 60 from 44, although Carey had another scare when a delivery from Lauren Bell – the tournament’s leading wicket-taker – hit the bail but it stayed in its groove.
Sutherland (2-23) and Kate Cross (2-23) had earlier starred with the ball – Cross’ wickets of Maia Bouchier (13) and Laura Wolvaardt (0) coming from successive deliveries.
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Watch how Kate Cross dismissed Maia Bouchier and Laura Wolvaardt from back-to-back balls at Lord’s
Perrin fires fleetingly after stunning eliminator Hundred
Superchargers’ 18-year-old opener Davina Perrin (17 off 16) was unable to truly back up her record-breaking, 42-ball century in the eliminator win over London Spirit at The Kia Oval on Saturday.
Yet, she still notched a few sumptuous fours, including an uppercut over the wicketkeeper’s head, and her remarkable hundred is likely to be the underlying memory of finals weekend and could fast-track her into other franchise tournaments around the world and possibly even senior England recognition.
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Nasser Hussain reflects on Davina Perrin’s record-breaking ton in the Hundred eliminator, saying it was significant for lots of reasons
In the final, Cross’s twin strikes reduced Brave 28-2 after 24 balls, which became 43-3 after 40 when Sutherland nailed Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s (25) middle stump with a nip-backer.
Freya Kemp (26 off 16) and Mady Villiers (17no of 11) gave Brave something to defend, while New Zealand veteran Sophie Devine contributed a scratchy 23 off 28 deliveries.
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Northern Superchargers’ Alice Davidson-Richards was bizarrely stumped as the ball deflected off Brave wicketkeeper Rhianna Southby’s shin
Brave’s total proved inferior, though, as they suffered a third defeat in four finals with this disappointment coming after back-to-back losses to Oval Invincibles in 2021 and 2022 preceded their maiden victory a year later.
Hundred MVP Litchfield: It’s been a blast
Northern Superchargers’ Phoebe Litchfield, after being named Hundred MVP for 292 runs in 10 innings:
“If you had told me a month ago that we would be lifting the trophy and I would have this [the MVP trophy] in my hand, I wouldn’t have believed you. I think our bowlers won it for us. As an Aussie coming over and playing, it’s been a blast.”
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The Northern Superchargers clinched The Hundred title against the Southern Brave in style with a six.
Carey: Superchargers group is amazing
Northern Superchargers Nicola Carey, the Player of the Match in the final:
“I have been here for only a short period of time but it has been unbelievable. The whole group is amazing, so it was so easy to come in the middle of the tournament.”
