The Timeline: Oval Invincibles Women vs Welsh Fire Women

Having set a below par target, the visitors looked to have given themselves too much to do when defending - but finished up restricting their hosts to just one run per ball

Scorecard

Welsh Fire came out comfortable victors at The Oval this afternoon having defended a total of 112.

Having won the toss, the Oval Invincibles vindicated their decision by not letting many of the Fire top order really get going, and restricting them to a relatively low total.

However, in reply they found themselves behind from the start, as smart bowling changes and sharpness in the field condemned them to just 100 runs. 

Here's how it happened...

Ball 11: Got her! That’s the start Mady Villiers would have pictured as she was put in to bowl. She starts of with a slightly shorter one which catches Bryony Smith unaware, as she tries to move her feet into place but can only nick it behind, where Sarah fumbles initially but grabs the second attempt. 5-1

 Ball 12: There’s the first four of the day, as the new batter Georgia Redmayne attacks the fuller one, flicking it away off the back pad and it trickles through fine leg for four. 9-1

Ball 24: Shot! Cracking four, this is a powerful stroke from Hawley Matthews who meets it on the full, it cracks off the middle of the bat, once bounce past long-on for a boundary. 23-1

Ball 42: Bowled! Dragged on! This time it’s Dane van Niekerk who brings herself back into the attack, and is rewarded, as she goes fuller and it bounces low, Matthews looks to fire through the on-side but it kisses the inside edge and deflects onto the stumps. 52-2

Ball 68: Wicket! A relatively dry spell is topped with a run-out, as Redmayne looks to get low and sweep over square, but the incoming Grace Gibbs returns it rapidly. She’s a long way from home as she looks for the second. 73-3

Ball 81: Shot of the day from Taylor! Farrant goes full and Sarah Taylor reacts rapidly, shifting across to her right, turning the bat and firing through point on the reverse sweep. Fantastic stroke. 93-3

Just outrageous from Sarah Taylor 🔥#TheHundred pic.twitter.com/JHClXh6yLQ

— The Cricketer (@TheCricketerMag) August 2, 2021

Ball 89: Low in the air… taken! A smart grab, while running in, from Mady Villiers. Taylor will be annoyed she couldn’t bat through to the end, but she has to walk now as she looks to scoop the fuller one over midwicket, but it’s not long enough. 103-4

Ball 97: Run-out again! This time it’s a direct hit, as Georgia Hennessy  finds an inside edge, it trickles to cover and the wicket-keeper Bryce strides across, picks it up and fires at the non-strikers end to hit the stumps. 109-4

Ball 100: We finish on a wicket, as Piepa Clearly looks to finish with a big stroke, it is mistimed and it sails up to mid-off where the fielder takes an easy one. 112-6

INVINCIBLES NEED 1⃣1⃣3⃣ 🏏

Tash Farrant rounds off the innings with a wicket, and #OvalInvincibles restrict #WelshFire to 112 from their 100 balls! 🟢🔴#TheHundred 💯

💻 YouTube 👉 https://t.co/rnoxTUw2IS
📺 SS The Hundred 👉 https://t.co/N5yEvBmzDs pic.twitter.com/hDHBAXFu5a

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 2, 2021

Ball 3: In the air... down - but run-out! Georgia Adams is offered an initial reprieve but some clever fielding after gets her gone. The initial delivery was swept away to square, not  the most easy chance, but as the incoming fielder lets it slip Adams sets off! It's returned to the striker's end where Sarah Taylor whips off the bails. Adams cannot believe it. 0-1

Ball 24: Shot! Clattered away, as Alice Capsey waits for it, a length ball, steps out and creates the angle to fire through cover and get four. A classy stroke. 23-1

Ball 32: Bowled! Capsey goes. The 16-year-old has to walk as Nicole Harvey, the legspinner, comes into the attack and offers the fuller one. Capsey looks to sort her feet out and open the angle, but she finds herself with no room and is beaten. 34-2

Ball 44: Big appeal... given! Well, this is a big moment as Gibbs has to go, even though it looked close initially. It does strike her on the middle of her pads, but she shifted a long way across. For a moment, the review is contemplated but decided against. 44-3

Ball 72: Got her! Van Niekerk goes - what a catch! This time it's a shorter ball from Harvey, and Van Niekerk looks to step out and go big. It sails towards deep midwicket where the onrushing George rushes in, covers a lot of ground and takes it on the dive. 64-4

😲 @KaTie_George46 😲

That is incredible! 🤲 #TheHundred pic.twitter.com/TapuxLNoep

— The Hundred (@thehundred) August 2, 2021

Ball 82: Fran Wilson goes! A wide ball, Wilson chases, and it flies straight to ring. It's Luff at extra cover who makes absolutely no mistake at knee height. 74-5

Ball 86: That's another. The Fire cruising to victory here, and Smith is back into the wickets, as Mady Villiers looks to step out and scoop it over midwicket, but there's not enough pace on it, and in comes George who catches, drops, no, catches at the third attempt! A little juggle to take it and she laughs with her teammates as they celebrate. 78-6

Ball 90: Six runs! Our first of the afternoon! We've waited a while for it, but better late than never as Gardner goes big. They'll need a couple more of those if they are to get out of this! 87-6

Ball 92: Hayley Matthews strikes! Jo Gardner looks for another big shot, attacking the spinner but she slices it right up to mid-off, where no mistake is made. 21 off 7. 92-7

Ball 94: Taken, and that must be that. They needed big shots and its attempted as Tash Farrant takes two steps down the track, attacks Matthews, but it loops right off to square where she is picked out. 93-8

Ball 97: Stumped. Clearly goes a little bit shorter and the new batter Gray looks to chase it down. She's caught a long way from home and the bails are whipped off. 97-9

Sophie Luff of Welsh Fire said: "We felt we were a few runs light. We bowled and fielded well Saturday, and we backed that up today. The girls were amazing in the field."

On Sarah Taylor, Luff commented: "I'm in awe of the shots she plays. It was a shame she couldn't carry on during the back end of the innings - that's probably something we need to work on going forward, but the way she keeps and drives the energy in the field is fantastic", she added.

Welsh Fire 112 off 100 balls 

Oval Invincibles 100 off 100 balls

Welsh Fire win!