August 12, 2024

Tahlia McGrath Wraps Series 3-0 for Australia A After India A Batting Crumbles.

Parsons and Vlaeminck restricted India A to just 120, setting the stage for McGrath’s dominant performance in the chase.

Australia A 121 for 3 (McGrath 51*, Wilson 39) defeated India A 120 for 8 (Navgire 38, Parsons 2-18, Brown 2-19) by seven wickets.

Tahlia McGrath’s blistering 22-ball 51* gave Australia A a swift victory over India A’s modest 120 in the third and final T20, securing a 3-0 series sweep. Parsons, Maitlan Brown, and Nicola Hancock each claimed two wickets. At the same time, Tayla Vlaeminck struck in the first over to set the tone for Australia A’s commanding win.

Vlaeminck, returning to the Australia A lineup after sitting out the second T20, made an immediate impact. The 25-year-old fast bowler delivered an exceptional spell, finishing with figures of 4-0-6-1. She struck early, clean-bowling Shubha Satheesh for a duck on just the second ball of the match.

India A’s top and middle order fared no better, with Priya Punia managing 11 off 18, Shweta Sehrawat struggling to 15 off 28, and Tanuja Kanwar falling for a 10-ball 7. With Sajeevan Sajana’s dismissal for 10, thanks to Parsons’ double strike in the 13th over, India A found themselves in deep trouble at 47 for 5. However, a 57-run partnership between Kiran Navgire and captain Minnu Mani helped the team navigate through the 20 overs.

Navgire led the charge with a blistering 38 off 20 balls. At the same time, Mani contributed a steady 22 off 23 before falling to Brown, who made her return to the XI after the opening T20.

Wilson set the tone for the chase, striking two boundaries in the first over off Meghna Singh. After a few quiet overs, she unleashed on Kanwar, smashing her for two fours and a six.

Shabnam Shakil dismissed Katie Mack in the fifth over, and Mannat Kashyap ended Wilson’s stay in the eighth. Still, McGrath ensured Australia A maintained their momentum. From the tenth onward, McGrath consistently found the boundary, targeting Kanwar, Meghna, and Kashyap. Her aggressive approach meant Charli Knott’s dismissal in the 13th over posed no threat to the hosts.

McGrath sealed the victory in style, hitting three consecutive boundaries off Shabnam in the 14th over to complete her half-century, following up on her unbeaten 47 in the previous match. She finished with eight fours and two sixes.

Invincibles Replaced Spirit in The Top Three With a Comfortable Win

Invincibles stay in contention for the top spot as Winfield-Hill and Kapp lead hosts to a comfortable London Derby victory.

Oval Invincibles 121 for 2 (Winfield-Hill 61, Kapp 30*) defeated London Spirit 120 for 8 (Sharma 46*, Smale 2-25) by eight wickets.

Lauren Winfield-Hill’s half-century powered Oval Invincibles to a vital victory over London Spirit in front of 14,721 spectators at The Kia Oval in The Hundred.

Chasing 120, Invincibles captain Winfield-Hill led the charge with a 61 off 40 balls—her first fifty of the season—and formed a strong partnership with Marizanne Kapp, making what could have been a challenging chase look effortless.

Oval Invincibles had Deepti Sharma to thank for giving them a target to chase, as the Indian all-rounder rescued London Spirit from a dire 47 for 7, guiding them to a total of 120 for 8.

Alongside Eva Gray, Sharma forged a record eighth-wicket partnership, helping the visitors recover after Invincibles’ bowlers each claimed a wicket to seize early control. Marizanne Kapp set the tone with a third-ball dismissal of Meg Lanning, winning the battle of overseas stars.

The game was finely poised at halfway, but Winfield-Hill’s composed innings tilted the balance. She skillfully countered Spirit’s trio of spinners, using the field to her advantage and efficiently working the ball behind square. Spirit missed a crucial opportunity to dismiss her when they chose not to review a close LBW call against Dani Gibson.

After birthday girl Alice Capsey was bowled attempting a ramp shot, Kapp joined Winfield-Hill and provided the finishing touches, ensuring the chase was completed with nine balls to spare.

The victory knocked Manchester Originals out of the tournament and put Invincibles in control of their playoff destiny with one game remaining before The Hundred Eliminator and Final. Meanwhile, London Spirit must win their last match and rely on other results to keep their hopes of a top-three finish alive.

Meerkat Match Hero Winfield-Hill said: “It’s a great feeling. I was due so it’s really nice to contribute, especially at the business end. I’m really pleased to get another good performance and another win.

“There was a little bit of hold on the wicket. There wasn’t a lot of turn but it just seemed to hold and there was a little bit of bounce. To be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever played that many reverse sweeps in my whole career but it was just one of those things where it was working and I just kept doing the things that were working.”

“I was really determined to put in a good performance today, and to be there at the end with Kappy is a really nice feeling.”

[On hoping Southern Brave beat Welsh Fire to help Invincibles’ hopes of getting straight to The Hundred Final] “It’s always hard this time of the competition. You’re looking at other results a lot and willing other teams to do well, and I think sometimes you can take your eye off what you’re trying to do. The more we can focus on what we’re trying to do and play our best cricket, the better – but come on Danni Wyatt and co, that would be really useful!”