Grace Harris Powers London Spirit to Win in The Hundred 2025 Opener

by

Grace Harris unbeaten 89 powered London Spirit Women to a 17-run win over Oval Invincibles in The Hundred 2025 opener at Lord’s.

The Hundred Women’s Competition 2025 began in thrilling fashion at Lord’s, London, as London Spirit Women (LDNW) faced Oval Invincibles Women (OVLW) in an electrifying opener. The opening game had everything with explosive batting, crucial breakthroughs, and top notch bowling under pressure.

Match Highlights and Key Moments:

1. Toss & Team Decision

  • Oval Invincibles Women won the toss and opted to bowl first, aiming to restrict London Spirit to a manageable total.
  • The Lord’s surface offered a fair contest, providing opportunities for both batters and bowlers.

2. London Spirit’s Innings: Grace Harris Takes Centre Stage

  • Early setback: London Spirit lost Georgia Redmayne early for a duck, trapped lbw by Marizanne Kapp in just the 6th ball.
  • Kira Chathli tried to play aggressively, scoring 19 off 14 balls before falling to Sophia Smale.
  • Cordelia Griffith played a classy knock, scoring 50 off just 29 balls with 6 fours and 1 six. She kept the scoreboard ticking with aggressive strokeplay.
  • The real show, however, was Grace Harris:
    • Smashed 89 off 42 balls* at an astonishing strike rate of 211.90.
    • She struck 7 boundaries and cleared the ropes 6 times, dominating the Oval Invincibles’ bowling unit.
    • Played both conventional and unorthodox shots, keeping the crowd on their feet.
  • London Spirit ended at 176/5 in 100 balls, setting a challenging target.

Key Bowling Figures for OVLW:

  • Marizanne Kapp: 2 wickets for just 23 runs in 20 balls.
  • Tash Farrant: 2 wickets for 39 runs in 20 balls.
  • Ryana MacDonald-Gay was economical, conceding only 20 runs in her 20 balls.

3. Fall of Wickets: LDNW

  1. Redmayne – 8/1 (Ball 6)
  2. Kira Chathli – 40/2 (Ball 28)
  3. Griffith – 140/3 (Ball 76)
  4. Charli Knott – 164/4 (Ball 91)
  5. Danielle Gibson – 174/5 (Ball 98)

4. Oval Invincibles’ Chase: Meg Lanning Fights Alone

  • The chase began disastrously for OVLW as skipper Lauren Winfield-Hill was lbw for 0 in just the second ball, thanks to Tara Norris.
  • Meg Lanning stood tall, anchoring the innings with a masterclass knock of 85 off 51 balls (7 fours, 5 sixes).
  • Alice Capsey added 22 off 13 balls but was trapped lbw by Sarah Glenn.
  • Marizanne Kapp scored 33 from 21 deliveries before Issy Wong broke through her defenses.
  • Despite Lanning’s brilliance, wickets at key moments hurt the chase.
  • Oval Invincibles finished on 159/4 from their 100 balls, ending 17 runs behind the target.

Key Bowling Figures for LDNW:

  • Tara Norris claimed 1 wicket while conceding only 3 runs in her 10-ball spell, boasting a superb economy rate of 0.30 runs per ball.
  • Issy Wong picked up 2 wickets for 26 runs in her 20-ball spell, dismissing Meg Lanning and Marizanne Kapp at crucial moments.
  • Sarah Glenn claimed 1 wicket while conceding 28 runs in her 20-ball spell.

5. Fall of Wickets: OVLW

  1. Winfield-Hill – 0/1 (Ball 2)
  2. Capsey – 37/2 (Ball 29)
  3. Kapp – 114/3 (Ball 77)
  4. Lanning – 151/4 (Ball 93)

6. Partnerships That Shaped the Game

London Spirit Women

  • Griffith & Harris: 100 runs off 52 balls – match-turning stand.
  • Harris & Knott: Quick 24 off 11 balls to maintain the momentum.

Oval Invincibles Women

  • Lanning & Capsey: 37 runs off 27 balls – stabilised after early loss.
  • Lanning & Kapp: 77 runs off 48 balls – kept hopes alive until Wong’s double strike.

7. Turning Points of the Match

  • Grace Harris’ Power Hitting: Her fearless approach changed the course of the innings, taking London Spirit from a decent total to a daunting one.
  • Issy Wong’s two key wickets, removing Meg Lanning and Marizanne Kapp, turned the Oval Invincibles’ run chase upside down.
  • Tara Norris’ Economical Spell: Bowling 10 balls for just 3 runs created early pressure.

8. Player of the Match: Grace Harris

  • She scored an unbeaten 89 from 42 balls.
  • She hit 7 fours and 6 sixes during her innings.
  • Strike Rate: 211.90
  • Impact: Turned the game in London Spirit’s favour with aggressive and calculated hitting.

9. Match Summary

  • London Spirit Women: 176/5 (100 balls)
  • Oval Invincibles Women: 159/4 (100 balls)
  • Result: London Spirit Women won by 17 runs
  • Venue: Lord’s, London
  • Toss: Oval Invincibles Women (opted to bowl)

10. Points Table Impact

  • London Spirit Women start the season with 2 points and a healthy Net Run Rate (NRR) boost.
  • Oval Invincibles will aim to bounce back in the next game to avoid early pressure.

👀 What’s Next in The Hundred Women’s 2025?

The tournament has just begun, but the tone is set for an exciting season ahead. With players like Grace Harris and Meg Lanning already showing top form, fans can expect more high-scoring thrillers in the coming matches.

Leave a Comment