Scrivens hits maiden fifty to lead Rockets past Spirit

Trent Rockets boost their hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the women’s Hundred with a comfortable 31-run win over London Spirit at Trent Bridge.

Grace Scrivens flicks a shot into the leg side Getty Images

The Hundred women’s competition, Trent Bridge

Trent Rockets 158-5 (100 balls): Scrivens 55 (43); Sharma 2-25

London Spirit 127-7 (100 balls): Knight 30 (23); Gardner 3-23, King 3-23

Trent Rockets won by 31 runs

Scorecard. Table

Trent Rockets boosted their hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the women’s Hundred with a comfortable 31-run win over London Spirit at Trent Bridge.

The home side reached 158-5 after openers Grace Scrivens (55 off 43) and Bryony Smith (34 off 22) shared a 74-run for the first wicket – the highest partnership of this year’s competition so far.

Smith was unluckily run-out while backing up at the non-striker’s end and 20-year-old Scrivens was bowled by Sarah Glenn after reaching her first Hundred half-century.

Rockets spinner Ash Gardner took two wickets in two balls to leave Spirit 21-2 after 23 balls, finishing with figures of 3-23.

Heather Knight (29 off 20) offered some faint hope before the Spirit captain was dismissed by spinner Alana King (3-23).

The writing was already on the wall for Spirit, despite Deepti Sharma’s unbeaten 30 off 23.

Rockets end a three-match losing streak to move into fifth in the table, one place behind Spirit.

What else do you need to know?

  • Grace Scrivens and Bryony Smith compiled the highest partnership of the 2024 women’s Hundred (74), before Smith was run out when Spirit bowler Charlie Dean deflected Scrivens’ straight drive on to the stumps with her hand.

  • Scrivens was dropped on 16 by Sarah Glenn and successfully overturned an lbw decision off the bowling of Deepti Sharma when on 21.

  • Nat Sciver-Brunt (21 off 12) extended her lead as the tournament’s top run-scorer this year and now has 209 runs in five matches.

  • Despite her heroics with the bat, Scrivens’ day ended on a sour note and with a bruised cheek. She left the field injured after she missed a catch and the ball struck her in the face.

‘A pretty perfect performance’ – what they said

Rockets spinner and match hero Ash Gardner: “It was probably the first game that we put all three facets of the game together.

“The openers did a fantastic job, getting us the start and probably the best we were with the ball as well. It was a pretty perfect performance.”

What is happening on Thursday?

There are four matches in The Hundred on Thursday.

Welsh Fire host Northern Superchargers at Sophia Gardens (women’s at 11:30 BST, men’s at 15:00) at Sophia Gardens while Oval Invincibles welcome Southern Brave,(women at 15:00 and men at 18:30) to The Kia Oval.

You can follow commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app.

You will also be able to watch Fire v Superchargers in the men’s competition live on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer and via the BBC Sport website with coverage starting at 14:45.