Lucy Higham triggers Trent Rockets’ collapse

Trent Rockets vs Northern Superchargers, Nottingham

A dramatic late collapse triggered by Lucy Higham’s 3 for 29 cost Trent Rockets two points and what could have been their first win of the season. Northern Superchargers posted 134/4 from their quota of a 100, courtesy Jemimah Rodrigues’s 32-ball 33 and Phoebe Litchfield’s bit more aggressive 38 off 27, in a 53-run partnership, and a late cameo of 23* in just 10 by ‘keeper Bess Heath.

Rockets were off to a blazing start in the chase with openers Bryony Smith (70 off 44) dominating the 61-run stand with Lizelle Lee (16 off 16). However, Higham picked up three in a collapse of 5 for 5 including the prized scalps of Nat Sciver-Brunt and Fran Wilson. Rockets could never recover, crawling to just 125/7 in reply to lose by nine runs.

Brief scores: Northern Superchargers 134/4 in 100 balls (Phoebe Litchfield 38, Jemimah Rodrigues 33, Alexa Stonehouse 1-10) beat Trent Rockets 125/7 in 100 balls (Bryony Smith 70; Lucy Higham 3-29, Georgia Wareham 2-24, Linsey Smith 2-27) by 9 runs

Oval Invincibles vs Manchester Originals, London

Deandra Dottin’s blistering 26-ball 42 (3 fours, 3 sixes) was in vain as a late collapse cost yet another team two points. Oval Invincibles wouldn’t be the ones complaining though as Ryana Macdonald Gay (4-16) and Eva Gay (2-18) combined to trigger a collapse of 4 for just two runs, including Dottin, to keep Manchester Originals to 123/9 in their pursuit of a 129-run target. Originals collapsed from a rather comfortable 106-4 to 117-9 in the space of just 13 balls, giving Invincibles their first outright points of the competition. Earlier, it was Alice Capsey’s 41-ball 50 and skipper Dane van Niekerk’s 42 that propelled Invincibles to 128/7. The pair put on a 61-run partnership, where the former Proteas captain was the aggressor, hitting half a dozen fours and a six in her 23-ball knock.

Brief scores: Oval Invincibles 128/7 in 100 balls (Alice Capsey 50, Dane van Niekerk 42; Mahika Gaur 1-13, Sophie Ecclestone 1-22) beat Manchester Originals 123/9 in 100 balls (Deandra Dottin 42, Laura Wolvaardt 27; Ryana Macdonald Gay 4-16, Eva Gay 2-18) by 5 runs