The Timeline: Welsh Fire Women v Manchester Originals Women

The hosts claim their opening win of the campaign as the Originals are outclassed from start to finish

Scorecard

Hayley Matthews smashed an unbeaten 71 to lead Welsh Fire to their opening victory over the women's Hundred over Manchester Originals.

Mignon du Preez and Sophie Ecclestone rebuilt a stuttering innings of 120 from the visitors with a late charge.

But Fire made short work of the chase, reaching the target with 12 balls to spare.

Matthews hit 10 fours and a six as part of a second-wicket stand worth 101 with Georgia Redmayne (38*) to complete the win.

Here is how the action unfolded...

Ball 1: Good morning! Lizelle Lee cuts Piepa Cleary away first ball. That just disappeared.

Ball 3: What a mess. Lee has swatted the first two balls to the boundary and she thinks more are coming here. She gets a top edge that loops up behind her. Lee sets off for a run and she sees her partner Emma Lamb stood still she turns back to watch Sarah Taylor tee up Georgia Redmayne to knock the stumps over.

Ball 19: The Originals are lambs to the slaughter now. Emma Lamb was the form domestic batter coming into The Hundred but she's struggled thus far and this top edge finds the hands of debutant Hannah Baker.

Ball 37: A run of 35 deliveries without a boundary is finally ended as Harmanpreet Kaur sweeps hard off a low full toss.

Ball 43: This will probably go down as a missed opportunity. Nicole Harvey beats Boyce with what looks like a googly and the ball hits Taylor and rolls onto the stumps. Boyce was out of her ground temporarily, so there was certainly an opening there.

Ball 53: Grab! Georgia Redmayne is in the action again in the field, as you would expect, taking a great catch over her right shoulder following a leading edge.

Ball 55: Mignon du Preez is on her way via her third delivery. She cuts a wide ball through the square and then past Alex Griffiths' poor hands it reaches the boundary.

Ball 69: Not Sarah Taylor's best day behind the stumps. Cleary strays down the leg side but Du Preez follows it, loses her balance and is out of her crease, but the former England keeper spills it.

Ball 80: Shot of the innings from Du Preez! Griffiths gives her a tasty half-volley and she mashes it over extra cover. How crucial might this be?

Ball 87: This is how to score at Cardiff. Ecclestone smashes the ball over deep square leg to register the first maximum of the day. A woeful full-toss from Georgia Hennessy it must be said.

Ball 94: Kate Cross would have fancied adding some late runs but she becomes the sixth wicket to fall, picking out Harvey on the edge of the ring.

Ball 100: If momentum is a thing, then the Originals have all of it heading into the chase. Ecclestone hits consecutive fours, the second of which just evades the fielder on the rope to bring up 120.

^{Georgia Redmayne was part of the Fire supporting cast}

So, Manchester Original nurdle their way to 120 thanks to that Sophia Ecclestone cameo. Welsh Fire will fancy chasing these on a slow pitch...

Ball 5: What a way to kick off the chase. Matthews dispatches the ball over Alex Hartley's head for four. Ominous.

Ball 6: Another straight hit from the West Indian, who likes the ball coming on too, as it happens. Four more.

Ball 17: The Originals needed this. Bryony Smith aims over cover but doesn't get enough of it and is easily dismissed by Alex Griffith.

Ball 28: Chance. Eleanor Threlkeld may live to regret this one. Redmayne tries to turn one around the corner but can't make contact. Threlkeld can't hang on and the stumping chance is gone.

Ball 30: Ecclestone has to do better here. Another boundary for Matthews, who is motoring now, but it should have been kept to two.

Ball 41: A penny for the thoughts of Mignon du Preez, who has dived full length and come up with a one-handed catch only to see the umpire's arm come out for a no-ball.

Matthews' superb six impresses the commentators 👏@Athersmike: 💬 That is the shot of the day 💬@flintoff11: 💬 Classic off-drive. Lovely 💬#TheHundred 💯

💻 Watch on YouTube 👉 https://t.co/emU5WS9xYj
📺 SS The Hundred 👉 https://t.co/6MkbutjYqn pic.twitter.com/dXJBbx9oL8

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 31, 2021

Ball 45: Find me a gallery. This is a picturebook shot from Matthews, standing back and dispatching the ball over everyone for six. Some strike.

Ball 46: The first ball after the timeout is wretched, a leg-side delivery which is pulled to the rope without alarm by Matthews. Not Hartley's best day.

Ball 58: A half-century for Matthews from 35 deliveries, and there is plenty of time to add to that.

Ball 83: The result is probably beyond doubt but Emma Lamb misses the chance to get rid of Matthews, spilling the ball at cover.

Ball 88: That's it! Matthews ends with it her 11th boundary, lifting the ball over the bowler's head. A stand worth 101 wins it for Welsh Fire with 12 balls to spare.

Player of the match Matthews said: "They didn't get too many runs and we knew if we could a partnership going, we would get there. They had to change their field and line to adjust to left-right combo. 

"I had a bit of cricket coming into the tournament. We had a series against Pakistan and I have been in good form since then. Bowlers made it easier and we thought we could carry that momentum forward."

🔥 FIRE WIN! 🔥

Matthews (71 from 50 balls) ends the game with successive fours as #WelshFire earn their first victory 🔴#ManchesterOriginals are now winless from four games - three defeats and a washout ⚫

📱 Scorecard 👉 https://t.co/iaY3AO7qMr
#️⃣ #TheHundred 💯 pic.twitter.com/z3aYVRoMwr

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 31, 2021

Originals captain Kate Cross added: "I guess we still haven't played our best cricket. It wasn't our best game. We have spoken as a team the value of the powerplay. 

"Matthews was in great form and she didn't give many chances. I hope so four wins a row would be enough. We have got a lot of youngsters and they still need some experience. This feels like a development phase."

Welsh Fire: 120 runs off 100 balls (13 fours and one six)

Manchester Originals: 121 off 88 balls (14 fours and one six)

Welsh Fire win!