London Spirit Wins The Hundred with Dramatic Final Six

London Spirit clinched their first title in The Hundred with a dramatic four-wicket win over Welsh Fire in the final at Lord’s. Chasing 116 for victory, Spirit needed four runs from the last three balls. Deepti Sharma delivered the winning blow by lofting Hayley Matthews over long-on for six, although the game nearly took a different turn when Shabnim Ismail’s delivery burst through her hands and went for a boundary.

Ismail had been a standout performer for Fire, taking 3-24 and dismissing key players like Meg Lanning, Heather Knight and Danielle Gibson. Despite her efforts, Fire couldn’t prevent Spirit from seizing the trophy on their home ground. At the halfway mark, Fire was in a strong position thanks to excellent bowling from England spinners Sarah Glenn and Charlie Dean, who limited Fire to 115-8.

Jess Jonassen’s half-century was a highlight, but the total proved insufficient. Spirit’s chase was tense with momentum swinging back and forth. Danielle Gibson’s aggressive batting provided a crucial boost, striking five fours from her first six balls. However, the game came down to the wire after Gibson was dismissed by Ismail and Georgia Redmayne was trapped lbw by Freya Davies.

Deepti Sharma’s final six secured the win with two balls to spare. Spirit’s spinners, including Charlie Dean and Sarah Glenn, set the stage for victory with their tight bowling on a slow pitch. Despite Fire’s efforts including a strong comeback with a record crowd of 22,009 watching, Spirit managed to secure the win. London Spirit captain Heather Knight expressed relief and joy, mentioning her nervousness during the tense finish.

Welsh Fire captain Tammy Beaumont praised her team’s resilience and effort, noting that they fought hard despite the odds.