Smriti Mandhan’s and Danni Wyatt’s fifties saw the Dakshin Bahadurs secure their place in the inaugural final of the Hundred, helping them build the highest team ever in the women’s competition.
Charlotte Edwards’ team has been the stand-out team in the century so far
Edwards’ side has been the stand-out team at the Hundred, winning six of their first seven group games, and after a 39-run victory are guaranteed a place in the final at Lord’s on 21 August. They will play the winner of the Eliminator 24 Hours earlier at The Oval between the second and third-placed teams.
Scored 166 against Welsh Fire -Smriti Mandhana and Danni Wyatt put on 107 for the first wicket – and defended their total without breaking a sweat. Their chances were already slim after defeating Birmingham Phoenix earlier this week.
Smriti Mandhana & Danni Wyatt great knocks session in hundred joint
Mandhana’s combined season has been in the hundred, scoring a very good 61 against Welsh Fire in the Southern Braves’ second game, but failing to reach 20 in her five other innings. She played her opponent – the Braves’ minor local opponent – at the Ageas Bowl.
Braves men’s coach Mahela Jayawardene told ESPNcricinfo here earlier this week that she had no idea how Lottie [Edwards] and her ability to recruit three of the world’s most vengeful players brought the top order together. managed to achieve. she was a seasoned pride to bat in her top four, and lived up to that billing, surpassing the Trent Rockets tournament high score of 151, with eight balls to spare.
Smriti Mandhana looked close to her best in partnership with Wyatt as she achieved Brave’s highest stand in the tournament. It was a perfect replay of their game plan, with Sofia Dunkley hitting an unbeaten 23 off 13 balls.
Smriti said, “I don’t know what I ate for breakfast today, but I was very lucky.” “I never batted the way I wanted to throughout the tournament and it took a lot of luck to get going. I wouldn’t say it was one of the best innings of my life, but we got a chance. Nice team Great job for the teams.”
It is unfortunate that a player of Mandhana’s quality is dropped once in a season. Alex Griffiths had caught Mandhana at deep midwicket in Cardiff two weeks ago and when she bowled the second ball she had a chance to improve, but before she slipped out of her hands. And the missed opportunity appeared to dampen the confidence of the rest of the side.
Also read: Ollie Pope Was Released From ENG Squad
Smriti Manadhana & Danni Wyatt had great knocks but Mandhana was caught by Australian fast bowler Pippa Cleary for five runs at mid-off, losing the last two balls of the set for four runs. Mandhana gave Sarah Taylor a best-half chance at 38 behind the stumps and a tricky catch and a bold opportunity to Nicole Harvey at 46.
Shafali Verma’s innings on the 69th ball
Shafali Verma-D at Edgbaston on Monday night; she had played 146 balls in three matches before Wyatt was dismissed on the 69th ball of the innings. The fire was needed to get out of the block in the powerplay to face any real chance of catching such a big target, but Anya Shrubsole kept things tight with a fresh delivery to raise the required rate. she bowled 15 of the first 25, conceded only 14, and looked in poor form before the dismissals of Matthews and Smith died as a contest before halfway through the chase.
Georgia Redmayne and Sophie Lough scored 56 off 40 balls, swinging freely from a strong base and left to bring honors on the margins of defeat, but the Braves’ victory was never in doubt.
