Oval Invincibles make light work of run-shy London Spirit

Lauren Winfield-Hill struck 44 off 28 balls to knock off a miserable total and end Spirit's lingering chances of a playoff spot

Lord's: London Spirit 80, Oval Invincibles 82-1 - Oval Invincibles win by nine wickets

Scorecard

Spinner Mady Villers recorded her best bowling figures in the women's Hundred with an impressive 4 for 12, decimating local rivals London Spirit for just 80, as Oval Invincibles secured their place in the knockout stages.

Villers dismissed both opening batters to reduce Spirit to a dismal 4 for 3 after just 11 balls. The innings never recovered as the hosts were bowled out after 97 deliveries, making unpleasant history by posting the second-lowest total in this year's tournament.

Shabnim Ismail and Eva Gray contributed with two wickets apiece, while Spirit’s highest scorer was Amelia Kerr, with a total of 31 off 31. In turn, the Invincibles made light work of the chase and reached their total in just 58 balls, for the loss of Suzie Bates.

Top-scorer Lauren Winfield-Hill struck an impressive 44 off 28 balls to end Spirit's lingering chances of a playoff spot.

After electing to field, Villiers wrecked the top order of the Spirit side, taking two wickets in nine balls. Opening batter Dani Gibson went second ball, trying to take the aerial route after three, and Beth Mooney, leading run-scorer for her side with 201 in four innings, was caught by an incredible diving catch by 18-year-old Alice Capsey.

Ismail continued the brutal attack after trapping Sophie Luff lbw. The first boundary for the hosts came after an extensive 19 balls and with only eight fours in their entire innings, momentum slowed.

Kerr and captain Charlie Dean tried to recover with a partnership of 27 off 33 however Dean stepped out of her crease to Capsey, and Winfield-Hill whipped off the bails for another shock to the system for Spirit.

^{Mady Villiers took four wickets for Oval Invincibles (Alex Davidson/Getty Images)}

Villiers returned to take two more wickets in four balls, in the form of Naomi Dattani and Grace Scrivens, and the chokehold Spirit were in, left them with their innings petering out.

In contrast, Winfield-Hill smashed her first delivery by Megan Schutt to the deep third boundary. The opening partnership between Winfield-Hill and Bates destroyed Spirit’s bowling – Bates smashed two successive fours and cleared the ropes in three deliveries by Kerr, who conceded 16 runs in her set of five.

At the end of the powerplay, the visitors had already scored 45 runs for none, in contrast to Spirit's miserable 15 for 3.

The partnership continued with both Bates and Winfield-Hill causing havoc, scoring 54 off 37 deliveries until the former top-edged Grace Scrivens straight into Mooney's gloves.

Capsey provided a firm base as Winfield-Hill continued her ruthless spell, smashing consecutive fours against Dean and scoring a total of seven boundaries in her innings.

Winfield-Hill sealed the win for the Invincibles with 42 balls to spare, with Spirit's faint hopes of securing their place in the playoffs completely evaporated.

Related Topics

• The Analysis: Mady Villiers offers timely reminder of England credentials