The Cricketer looks at the main talking points from the Women's Hundred clash between Oval Invincibles and Trent Rockets at the Kia Oval
Grace Scrivens decisively shifted the game after a balanced start to the Rockets' reply. From the moment she hit four consecutive boundaries off the left-arm spin of Sophia Smale, the away side had all the momentum they needed.
The 21-year-old opening batter showed the Rockets selectors what they had been missing, as she returned to the side for just her third appearance of this year's Hundred tournament.
Smale started with a dot, but Scrivens replied the very next ball with a dismissive bunt down the ground for four. She followed this display of power with back-to-back classy sweep shots, proving her ability to manipulate the field. Finally, she danced down the wicket, reminding spectators of the power she possesses by replicating her first boundary.
A despondent Smale had no answer to Scrivens' brilliance. Four boundaries in four balls dampened the home crowd, with this being a crucial game in the shake-up for the top three.
As Scrivens demonstrated her game-changing prowess, the Rockets hierarchy might be wondering what might have been if they'd thrown her into the XI earlier in the tournament.
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Grace Scrivens led the successful Rockets chase (ECB/Getty Images)
Trent Rockets' skilful left-arm seamer Alexa Stonehouse set the tone with a terrific opening spell, as captain Ash Gardner backed her to bowl 15 of the opening 30 balls.
Gardner, with her bank of knowledge and experience, clearly worked with Stonehouse on a plan to relentlessly slide the ball into Lauren Winfield-Hill. Cramping the opener for room frustrated the destructive ex-England batter, as her side finished the opening 20 deliveries with just 13 on the board.
Dot balls build huge pressure, and pressure normally yields wickets. Gardner's strategy to keep Stonehouse on for a third set as she tied Winfield-Hill down brought the Rockets, and Stonehouse, their first wicket from the 21st ball.
We so often see bowlers being quickly hooked in The Hundred in an attempt to keep batters on their feet. So it was refreshing to see a captain let a bowler who was executing a clear plan continue, and eventually reap her well-deserved rewards.
Leadership is about the timing of decisions, and in this case, Gardner's patience paid off. Restricting the Invincibles to a slow start gave early momentum to the Rockets, and this remained with them throughout the game.
Without Meg Lanning, the Invincibles would have limped into the second half of the game (ECB/Getty Images)
After an excellent Rockets start, Meg Lanning provided some much-needed impetus for the Oval Invincibles with an aggressive and energetic knock at the Kia Oval.
It appeared that the introduction of spin ignited a proactive response from both Lanning and her batting partner, Alice Capsey. Following just one boundary in the opening 20 balls, Lanning in particular started to move through the gears.
The Aussie paddled leg-spinner Alana King for four towards fine-leg from her first delivery and proceeded to slog-sweep her compatriot into the stands in King's second set.
Despite the dismissal of her partner Alice Capsey, Lanning's boundary barrage continued. Power was combined with precision and placement, and when she wasn't finding the boundary, she ran well between the wickets.
Lanning's knock came to an end on 45 off just 35 deliveries, as she was dismissed by yet another classy Aussie in Gardner.
Her knock began to look even more impressive with five further wickets tumbling following her dismissal. And despite being in a losing cause, her innings was certainly a factor in steering the home side towards a respectable total.
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