Smriti Mandhana’s unbeaten 88 powers Super Giants past Sunrisers Leeds.
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A Derby To Remember
A northern derby at Headingley provided the excitement that the fixture promised as Manchester Super Giants chased down a 30-run target, posting a four-wicket win with four balls to spare in a thrilling encounter on July 28.
Sunrisers Leeds posted 142 for 4 in their 100 balls, before Manchester made most of their losses at the hands of a disciplined bowling attack by Sunrisers’ seamers to post the required 144.
Sunrisers Set Terms
Batting first after winning the toss, the invitation to field went to MSG; Sunrisers posted a competitive 142 for 4 in their 100 balls that Manchester would eventually chase down with a four-wicket win.
Phoebe Litchfield scored a quick 31 while Annabel Sutherland remained not out on 35.
Gibson’s Late Flourish
It was the captain Dani Gibson who saw her team over the line though, hitting an 18-ball 18 at the death to get Sunrisers Leeds past the 140-mark with a late flourish.
It was a special innings that saw her add a much-needed punch to the tail that carried the team past the 140-mark with momentum.
Chase Begins Shaky
Chasing the 143-run target, Manchester’s Super Giants began on shaky terms as a sharp bowling spell from their opponents cleaned up the middle order, removing four wickets for 10 runs in the space of 18 balls.
It meant the Super Giants were reeling at 71 for 5, having slipped from a comfortable 61 for 2 after the first 20 balls.
Mandhana Holds Firm
While the collapse left the Super Giants in deep trouble, Smriti Mandhana remained steady at the crease. She played a patient innings at the start, seeing her half-century come on 33 balls, before accelerating down the track when the strike was due.
It was to be her maiden fifty of this year’s Hundred and also the highest individual score this season for her.
Fortunes Played Their Part
While Mandhana remained focused on the task at hand, she acknowledged the role luck had played in her 51-ball 88. She was dropped on 30 by Litchfield before Darcey Carter spilt a sitter when 16 were still required off 10 balls.
She even hit her second six of the innings off Sutherland to bring up the winning run with four balls remaining.
Lanning Lends Support
While luck played its part, it was the support from skipper Meg Lanning at the other end that kept the innings going.
Lanning played a crucial 24 as the only other Giant to score double figures, and her presence at the crease was a testament to how vital Mandhana’s innings was to Manchester’s hopes.
Bryce Steadies The Ship
It was to be Kathryn Bryce who steadied the ship in the end, finishing up as the second-highest run-scorer with a composed unbeaten 34, as she allowed Mandhana to accelerate freely when the strike was due.
Her calmness at the start took some of the pressure off Mandhana, who finished up with a 98.8% strike rate in the match, needing to hurry to make the scoring rate over in the final two overs.
The Winning Strike
The innings was well supported by the captaincy of Mandhana at the other end, who struck two successive sixes off Sutherland to bring up the winning run with four balls remaining.
The two big hits to finish the innings saw her better her personal best for the tournament – 4 sixes and 7 fours in an innings as she finished up with a run-a-ball 88.
A Career Best Performance
Smriti Mandhana equalled her career best with an unbeaten 88, which was the sixth half-century of her Hundred debut and 59th overall in her short-format career.
The Player of the Match struck 7 fours and 4 sixes in her unbeaten 88 off 50 balls, and was quick to praise her team’s attacking approach, despite Headingley providing more assistance to seamers than most of the other grounds she has batted at.
Table Tussles
It was to be a positive day for Manchester Super Giants in the table as they move up to 10 points from three matches and in second place, behind the Southern Brave.
For Sunrisers Leeds, it was a chastening lesson that no score is impregnable and no bowling attack, however good, can account for one determined batter refusing to give up.
More Table Tussles To Come
Both teams look set to have plenty of table tussles ahead as they continue in this year’s Hundred. Sunrisers Leeds will be looking to tighten up their fielding after the two drops that proved crucial, while Manchester will be looking for Mandhana to continue her prolific scoring.
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