London Spirit eliminated from The Hundred after MI London defeats in both competitions
MI London men secure crucial victory
MI London men’s team secured a four-wicket victory over London Spirit at Lord’s, leading to the Spirit’s elimination from The Hundred competition. Chasing a target of 161 runs, MI London needed 70 runs from 37 balls at one point. Contributions from Sam Curran, who scored 33 runs, and Sikandar Raza, who made a rapid 32 runs off 16 balls, brought them close to the target.
Sikandar Raza, a Zimbabwe all-rounder, was playing his first match of the campaign as a replacement for Rashid Khan. He hit four sixes before being dismissed with only six runs required for victory. Tom Curran and Ollie Pope then maintained their composure to complete the chase with six balls remaining.
Earlier in the match, London Spirit posted a total of 160-5. Opener Lhuan-Dre Pretorius scored 52 runs off 28 balls. David Willey contributed 31 runs off 18 balls, and James Coles, who was the most expensive player at the auction earlier this year, remained unbeaten with 30 runs.
The match saw a record attendance for a group stage game of The Hundred, with 27,721 spectators present at Lord’s. This defeat marked London Spirit’s fifth loss in six matches, resulting in their early exit from the tournament. Conversely, MI London moved up to second place in the table, enhancing their prospects for knockout stage qualification.
Melie Kerr leads MI London women to first win
In the women’s competition, MI London registered their first win of the season, defeating London Spirit by three runs. This victory was largely due to an unbeaten 69 runs off 41 balls from all-rounder Melie Kerr. MI London, who had been winless in their previous five games, were in a difficult position at 23-5 and later 64-8.
Kerr’s performance helped her team reach a total of 122-9. Her innings included four sixes and five fours, notably hitting her first six in The Hundred in her 26th game. She also scored 26 crucial runs from the last 10 balls of the innings, including three sixes off Charlie Dean.
During the bowling innings, MI London managed to reduce London Spirit to 51-4. A partnership of 42 runs between Nadine de Klerk and Marizanne Kapp temporarily recovered Spirit’s chase. However, De Klerk’s dismissal for 35 shifted the momentum back to MI London.
Despite Deandra Dottin’s late boundaries, Nicola Carey held her nerve on the final ball, with London Spirit needing six runs to win, and they finished at 119-8. This win keeps MI London’s qualification hopes alive, although their fate depends on winning their remaining games comfortably and other results going their way. London Spirit is in a similar position regarding qualification.
The women’s match was also a close encounter, following a tie in a previous derby between the two teams. Charlie Dean took three wickets for six runs, including dismissing Hollie Armitage for six, and Nicola Carey and Alice Monaghan without scoring. Chinelle Henry was the only other MI London batter to reach double figures, scoring 22 runs off 15 balls.
Upcoming fixtures for Birmingham Phoenix and Sunrisers Leeds
Looking ahead to Friday, both Birmingham Phoenix and Sunrisers Leeds are in a must-win situation in the women’s competition. They are scheduled to face each other at Edgbaston at 15:00 BST. The men’s game will follow at 18:30 BST, with Birmingham Phoenix also struggling at the bottom of the table in their tournament. A win for Sunrisers Leeds in the men’s match would keep them in contention for the knockout stages.
Ball-by-ball commentary for these upcoming matches will be available.
Source: bbc.co.uk
