Women's Hundred 2024: Alana King shines as Trent Rockets defeat Northern Superchargers

This was the fourth game of The Hundred Women’s Competition, played on Friday at Leeds: Trent Rockets beat Northern Superchargers by 20 runs in an intense battle.

Rockets defeat Northern Superchargers by 20 runs

Trent Rockets posted 123 for 5 from their quota of scheduled 100 balls after bat first. Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt remained unbeaten with 36 off 34 balls, hitting four boundaries as she anchored this innings. Grace Scrivens provided a brisk 32 off 22 balls, hitting six fours, and Bryony Smith contributed 23 off 21 balls. There were a few hiccups in the Rockets’ innings, with Annabel Sutherland having an excellent return of 3 for 14 and Linsey Smith chipping in with 2 for 23.

The chase of Northern Superchargers for 124 began on a wonky note and never really recovered. They were cleaned up for 103 in 97 balls. Captain Hollie Armitage promised a glimmer of revival with her quick 14 off 9 balls, but regular fall of wickets stymied them. Annabel Sutherland did show resistance with 15 off 12 balls but her dismissal spelt beginning of the end for the Superchargers.

Alana King was brilliant with the ball for the Rockets, returning 2 crucial wickets for just 17 runs in her 20 balls to be adjudged Player of the Match. Heather Graham also turned out to be quite instrumental, returning figures of 3 for 13 that included the big wickets of Annabel Sutherland and Kate Cross. Nat Sciver-Brunt was useful with both bat and ball, returning 2 for 19, which included the big wicket of Armitage.

The Rockets bowling unit, led by King and Graham, kept the pressure all the way through the innings, making sure the Superchargers never gained impetus. Fielding, similarly, was sharp with the Rockets’, epitomized by the run-out of Alice Davidson-Richards.

This victory by 20 runs puts Trent Rockets in a very good position at the start of the tournament and proves that it’s an all-round team effort, with equal contributions from the batters and bowlers. For the Northern Superchargers, though, it was not a great evening as their bowlers’ good work at the beginning was not capitalized on.