Superchargers cruise to first Hundred title

The Hundred women's competition final, Lord's

Southern Brave 115-6 (100 balls): Kemp 26 (16); Cross 2-23, Sutherland 2-23

Northern Superchargers 119-3 (88 balls): Carey 35* (25), Sutherland 28* (25)

Superchargers won by seven wickets

Scorecard

Northern Superchargers sealed a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Southern Brave in the women's final to win The Hundred for the first time.

After restricting the previously unbeaten Brave to 115-6, Superchargers held their nerve chasing a modest total and got over the line with 12 balls to spare.

While the batters, and in particular Davina Perrin, stole the show in their record-breaking win in Saturday's Eliminator, it was the bowlers turn at Lord's.

Kate Cross took two wickets in two balls late in the powerplay to remove the dangerous Maia Bouchier and Laura Wolvaardt - the latter with a beauty that jagged back to hit leg stump.

There were also two wickets for Australia all-rounder Annabel Sutherland as both she and Cross ended with figures of 2-23, while Freya Kemp top-scored for Brave with 26 from 17 balls.

Superchargers made a solid start to the chase but Perrin was not able to match her heroics from The Oval, showing glimpses of her class before falling for 17.

It was Phoebe Litchfield who swung the game firmly in Superchargers' favour, hitting three fours and a six from her first four balls and, although she was dismissed for 26 from 13 balls, momentum stayed with the batting side.

Sutherland anchored the innings, knowing the game situation meant risks could be kept to a minimum, especially with Nicola Carey showing more aggression at the other end.

The pair put on an unbroken 60 for the fourth wicket, with Sutherland clubbing a straight six to secure the win in style.

Despite Superchargers' stunning win on Saturday, it was Brave who came in as favourites after winning all eight of their group games to advance straight to the final.

A top-order including Bouchier, Wolvaardt and Danni Wyatt-Hodge is certainly eye-catching but it is Brave's bowling that has made them such a force.

At Lord's, though, they were both left with too much to do and outbowled by their Superchargers counterparts.

With a little bit of movement off the pitch available for the seamers, their approach was simple but effective: target the stumps.

Of all the balls bowled by the Northern Superchargers, 45% would have hit the stumps - their highest proportion for any match in the tournament.

With two of Brave's big-name top three bowled, the plan worked and at no point did the table-toppers threaten to get away from them.

Superchargers have had the strongest batting line-up in the tournament so once they got themselves ahead in the game, even Brave's fine bowling attack was not going to stop them.

Superchargers lost the 2023 women's showpiece to Brave, with this victory a first title for the franchise, as their men's side have never reached the final.

Northern Superchargers' Kate Cross speaking on BBC Two: "It doesn't feel very real, I've already lost my voice!

"There were still people padded up ahead of me at the end so I wasn't too worried, but when [Phoebe] Litchfield got out then I started to think that you never know. We had two of the coolest Aussies out there to close out the match for us, they did a job for us."

Northern Superchargers batter Nicola Carey speaking on BBC Two: "I feel a bit embarrassed about getting the 'Match Hero' award because I thought our girls bowled really well.

"This is just unbelievable. This squad has just been amazing the whole time I've been here, which is a really short time, but everyone thoroughly deserves this. It was so much fun out there."

Southern Brave captain Georgia Adams on BBC Two: "Any loss in a final is a tough one to take. We have had a brilliant campaign so can take a lot of pride and confidence.

"We can't complain too much [about not playing since Thursday]. The schedule looked after us, and they outplayed us."