Central sparks Won 287 for 7 (Jones 136*, Cross 2-50) thunder 284 for 7 (Lamb 107, Potts 2-46) by 3 wickets
Jones’ unbeaten 136 – the highest score by a woman at the venue – guided her side to a thrilling three-wicket victory over Sparks with 11 runs to spare in the last over.
But Sparks captain, Australian Courtney Webb was the man of the hour with a 40 as he scored the winning runs in the final over to seal a stunning win.
Lamb and Smale looked to build an opening partnership of 89 runs in their earlier win over The Blaze, with the pair producing Sparks’ seamers with flair and confidence. The 100-run partnership came in just 125 balls, with Lamb bringing up his own half-century in 51 balls, while Small’s second consecutive 50 came in 78 runs.
It wasn’t until the 30th over that Sparks got a breakthrough when Hannah Baker was bowled by Small on 67 and Australian Katie Mack was brought into the middle.
Mack has made a good impression at Emirates Old Trafford so far, and both he and Lamb began to increase the run rate with some frantic running between the wickets as Sparks’ bowlers began to toil in the heat.
A frantic 77 runs were put on for the second wicket before Lamb eventually fell on 107 off 104 balls, caught by Bethan Ellis off Emily Arlott at deep midwicket.
Quick runs became the order of the day and after Ria Fackrell was caught at mid-on for Baker’s second wicket, Fi Morris (29 off 19 balls) and Naomi Dattani (17) and Naomi Dattani (13) helped push the score in front. closer
Undeterred by a substantial target, Jones overcame the early loss of opening partner Karis Bawley, dismissed for 10 by a beauty from Kate Cross, hitting both sides of the ground and down the wicket at will.
Jones lost another partner, Abigail Freeborn hitting a full toss to a diving Dattani to finish at 63 for 2 for 13. Brewer was caught in the deep by Small on 26 off Tara Norris.
If that made the hosts favorites again, Webb had other ideas as the Australian combined with Jones for 44 with three fours and a six.
The next wicket felt crucial and Hannah Jones produced a superb delivery to bowl the advanced Webb, leaving Jones with the tough task of finding boundaries and dealing with the increasing run rate.
Somehow, she does it with the help of an important cameo from Emily Arlott (15). Sparks went in the last over with Cross bowling, with Jones and Bethan Ellis still needing double figures to pull off an unlikely victory.
Two fours off the first two balls from Ellis eased the nerves and Jones was left to score the winning runs to seal a memorable victory.
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