Twitter Reactions: London Spirit end on a high after bowlers, Knight, Gibson shine

London Spirit failed to qualify for the Eliminator of the Women’s Hundred as they finished fourth on the points table. Though they won the game against Welsh Fire by seven wickets at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff, they couldn’t achieve the target within 41 balls. The Fire, on the other hand, finished as the cellar dwellers of the inaugural league and ended their journey with a four-match losing streak.

Spirit bowlers strangle the Fire

After being put in to bat first, the Fire strained to find any sort of momentum and could manage only 95 runs. Opener Bryony Smith started with three fours, but once Freya Davies dismissed her, the Spirit made a comeback. Hayley Matthews, the Fire’s leading run-scorer, couldn’t make an impact after Deepti Sharma trapped her in front. Thereafter, Georgia Redmayne took charge with the bat.

The batter was recently called up for Australia’s home Test, ODIs and T20Is against India. On Wednesday, she scored 35 off 28 with six fours before Heather Knight got rid of her. For the Spirit, Charlotte Dean, Deepti, Knight and Danielle Gibson picked up two wickets each. Sophie Munro was the only bowler, who couldn’t make a breakthrough in the five balls she bowled in the encounter.

Knight and Gibson make hay

Due to the qualification scenario, the Spirit sent South Africa’s Chloe Tryon to open the batting alongside Tammy Beaumont. However, both of them perished in quick succession. While Piepa Cleary cleaned up Beaumont, Matthews accounted for Tryon’s wicket. Deandra Dottin started with a four down the ground and then inside-edged one for another four through the fine leg region.

But Matthews induced a false stroke from him and sent him back. From thereon, Knight and Gibson played some marvellous strokes. Both of them stayed unbeaten on 34 off 19 balls with the help of seven fours apiece. The Fire didn’t have much to play for in the game and their players looked rusty. The Fire would be fairly happy with how they managed to finish the Women’s Hundred with a win.

Here’s how the netizens reacted to London Spirit’s win

Welsh Fire (Women) : 95/9 (100 balls)
London Spirit (Women) : 96/3 (85 balls)
Spirit won by 7 wickets
Player of the match : Danielle Gibson (London Spirit )#TheHundred 🏏 pic.twitter.com/NPyzzJzLVY

— Ishara Isuru 🏏⚽️🏉 (@Ishisuru1) August 19, 2021

Danielle Gibson finishes the group stage of The Hundred women's competition with 108 runs at a strike rate of 180.00.

Gibson has the highest SR of any batter with 50+ runs in the competition.#TheHundred

— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) August 18, 2021

London Spirit comprehensively beat Welsh Fire in the final group game of the women's Hundred in Cardiff, but missed out on reaching the latter stages of the competition due to an inferior run-rate.

— Rajesh Mohan (@RajeshMohan68) August 18, 2021

Excellent bowling performance from Deepti Sharma 2 / 14 , and Heather Knight 2 / 14, broke the back of the Welsh Fire batting line up

— VIvaan Navare (@NavareVivaan) August 18, 2021

Deepti Sharma has bowled quite economically this entire 100.

— Partially Vaccinated Incognito Moist (@prafullsaraf) August 18, 2021

"Deepti Sharma is a very good bowler. I always try to immitate her bowling , but is is far better"

Charlie Dean to WomensCricZone

— WCricCraze (@WomensCricCraze) August 18, 2021

#TheHundred Deepti Sharma has been excellent with the ball this tournament and today is no different. Just 14 runs off her 20 balls and two wickets. Knight and Sharma proved to be a deadly combo for the Welsh Fire

— Bala Yogesh (@Yo_Bala) August 18, 2021