London Spirit delivered a heart-stopping efficiency to grab a dramatic last-ball win towards Welsh Hearth in The Hundred 2025 Women’s conflict at Sophia Gardens, sealing a two-run victory that saved their 100% report intact and solidified their place atop the leaderboard.
London Spirit, after successful the toss, opted to bat first and posted a complete of 124 from their 100 balls. Charli Knott was the linchpin of the Spirit’s innings, crafting a composed 47 off 33 balls in a knock that saved the scoreboard ticking at the same time as wickets tumbled round her. The Welsh Hearth bowling assault was spearheaded by Freya Davies (3/16) and Katie Levick (3/26), who picked up essential wickets in clusters, threatening to limit the defending champions to a below-par whole.
Hearth’s late collapse ignites Spirit’s comeback
Welsh Hearth appeared nicely on the right track through the chase, with Sophia Dunkley (36 off 29), Hayley Matthews (26 off 24), and Jess Jonassen (29 off 24) preserving them forward of the required price. The hosts sat comfortably at 73/1, and with simply 24 runs wanted from the ultimate 20 balls with eight wickets in hand, a house victory appeared inevitable.
However the pendulum swung dramatically. Spirit’s bowlers, led by Grace Harris, tightened the screws with disciplined bowling on the dying. Dunkley and Jonassen fell in fast succession, and stress mounted as Hearth stuttered with bat in hand.
Grace Harris delivers beneath stress in last-ball thriller
The climax noticed Welsh Hearth needing three runs off the ultimate ball after a frenetic final 5 deliveries. Harris held her nerve, delivering the defining closing ball that resulted in a wicket, leaving Hearth stranded at 122/5 — simply two runs wanting the goal. The jubilant London Spirit celebrated wildly, with captain Charlie Dean and abroad star Harris combining to drag off probably the most unlikely of victories in entrance of a shocked Cardiff crowd.
Charli Knott earned the Meerkat Match Hero award for her all-round effort. “We stayed degree as a gaggle, knew we have been at all times in with an opportunity, and Gracie simply pulled off an unimaginable over on the finish. We’re thrilled to get the win and preserve the momentum going,” she stated within the post-match presentation.
This text was first revealed at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times firm.
