Get Ball by Ball Commentary of Manchester Originals (Women) vs Welsh Fire (Women), The Hundred Women's Competition 2024, 3rd Match

5.35pm: Originals looked be about to pull the rug from under Fire's chase, as they picked up 3 for 8 in the space of 20 balls. But Dunkley, having anchored the innings, kicked into the higher gears at the perfect moment, a flurry of boundaries ending the home side's hopes

Sophia Dunkley is Match Hero for her unbeaten 69 from 47: "Definitely [got close]. I didn't feel in, found it hard to time the ball. Got a bit close but glad to get over the line. Happy with how with bowled and controlled the innings. Definitely happy going into second half. I couldn't time it through the middle, told myself to keep calm. Got a few away and felt a bit better. [Technical work] Those sixes I hit at the end were the benefit, a bit more power through my swing. [2023 exit] Definitely important, heartbroken last year so we want to go all the way and redeem ourselves."

Right, we're done with the early game, time to head over to our commentary for the men's fixture. Bye!

19.1

Morris to Jonassen, FOUR, Jonassen seals it with a thrash through point, Fire win by seven wickets! There were a few jitters along the way but a pretty comprehensive performance from the visitors

Well, not a lot Morris can do here...

"Happy for Dunkley," chirps lunch, "what a great knock"

END OF OVER:
19 | 11 Runs | WF-W: 113/3 (1 run required from 5 balls, RR: 5.94, RRR: 1.00)

Sophia Dunkley69 (47b)
Jess Jonassen5 (6b)

Sophie Ecclestone3.5-0-28-1
Kathryn Bryce3.5-0-37-0

18.5

Ecclestone to Dunkley, 1 run, looped up and tapped through mid-off. Scores level now

18.4

Ecclestone to Dunkley, FOUR, reverse-flipped for four more! Casually done by Dunkley, as she gets low and brings the hands scything through. Fire almost there

18.3

Ecclestone to Dunkley, no run, pushed into the covers, fielder is in smartly. Dot ball

18.2

Ecclestone to Dunkley, FOUR, makes room, hammers through the covers! Is that the death knell for Originals? Their captain slapped disdainfully for a boundary to bring the victory in sight

18.1

Ecclestone to Dunkley, 2 runs, tossed up and slammed down the ground, short of long-off! Eve Jones made a fine attempt to get there but they manage to scamper back for two

Ecclestone is back for the penultimate set

END OF OVER:
18 | 13 Runs | WF-W: 102/3 (12 runs required from 10 balls, RR: 5.66, RRR: 6.00)

Sophia Dunkley58 (42b)
Jess Jonassen5 (6b)

Kathryn Bryce3.5-0-37-0
Kim Garth3.5-0-15-0

Whoosh! And the requirement is suddenly back in Fire's favour, with 12 needed off 10

17.5

Bryce to Dunkley, 1 run, low full toss, heaved away through midwicket for a single

17.4

Bryce to Dunkley, SIX, slot ball, creamed over long-off! Dunkers doing it for the visitors. She skips down and hits cleanly through the line for another sixer

"Fi Morris has turned this game around," says Owen, "but it feels like her last 5 will decide it"

17.3

Bryce to Jonassen, 1 run, length ball, Jonassen chips it over mid-on for one

17.2

Bryce to Dunkley, 1 run, pitched up and swung away firmly again, just a single to the leg-side sweeper this time

17.1

Bryce to Dunkley, FOUR, swept behind the sweeper, that's her fifty! The flames are still flickering here... Dunkley on the stretch forward to ping the ball behind square

Bryce for her fourth set. Ecclestone still has one, remember

END OF OVER:
17 | 8 Runs | WF-W: 89/3 (25 runs required from 15 balls, RR: 5.23, RRR: 8.33)

Sophia Dunkley46 (38b)
Jess Jonassen4 (5b)

Kim Garth3.5-0-15-0
Kathryn Bryce2.5-0-24-0

Well, well. Fire needed that to stay in touch

16.5

Garth to Dunkley, SIX, Slam Dunkley! Goes down the ground, that's a biggie! Slower ball wide of the stumps but she's across to met it, and hammers Garth for six from the final ball of her allocation!

16.4

Garth to Jonassen, 1 run, full wide, 69mph and chopped to cover where Morris swoops. She nearly pulls off a rolling-release direct hit, too!

"They were 65/0 off 54 balls before that first wicket," notes DaWolf. "Astonishing turnaround."

16.3

Garth to Dunkley, 1 run, full length, think a slower ball outside off, plinked into the covers

16.2

Garth to Dunkley, no run, pace on wide of the stumps, Dunkers looks to go downtown... swing and a miss!

16.1

Garth to Dunkley, no run, full on off, Dunkley clears the front leg and clouts it straight to mid-off

Garth to bowl her final set from the Statham End

END OF OVER:
16 | 8 Runs | WF-W: 81/3 (33 runs required from 20 balls, RR: 5.06, RRR: 8.25)

Jess Jonassen3 (4b)
Sophia Dunkley39 (34b)

Kathryn Bryce2.5-0-24-0
Fi Morris2.5-0-16-2

15.5

Bryce to Jonassen, no run, full and angling across the bows, driven to mid-off. Dot ball to finish the set

15.4

Bryce to Dunkley, 1 run, pitched up, pace off again. Dunkley hauls it away to deep midwicket

15.3

Bryce to Dunkley, FOUR, full down leg, hoicked for a vital boundary! Dunkley is the set batter but she'll be grateful for this. Spots the slower ball and picks the gap at deep backward square leg

15.2

Bryce to Jonassen, 1 run, shorter and swatted leg side for one

"Welsh now messing up the chase," murmurs Manoj

15.1

Bryce to Jonassen, 2 runs, full and wide of off, driven in front of the cover sweeper. They get back for two as the throw comes in... not sure Bryce took it cleanly as she broke the bails

Kathryn Bryce again. The runs per ball required is up to 1.64 for Fire

END OF OVER:
15 | 3 Runs 1 Wkt | WF-W: 73/3 (41 runs required from 25 balls, RR: 4.86, RRR: 8.20)

Jess Jonassen0 (1b)
Sophia Dunkley34 (32b)

Fi Morris2.5-0-16-2
Lauren Filer3.5-0-15-0

14.5

Morris to Jonassen, no run, round the wicket, flat outside off and clubbed to mid-off as she comes down

Fire INNINGS		R	B
SIR Dunkley	not out	69	47
TT Beaumont	caught	31	29
HK Matthews	lbw	1	3
SJ Bryce	stumped	4	10
JL Jonassen	not out	9	7
GA Elwiss
PA Franklin
EM McCaughan
FR Davies
GK Davis
S Ismail
EXTRAS	(lb 2, w 1)
TOTAL	117 (3 wkts; 19.1 ovs)

Originals BOWLING	O	M	R	W	Econ
KE Bryce	4.0	0	37	0	9.25
L Filer	4.0	1	15	0	3.75	(1w)
KJ Garth	4.0	0	15	0	3.75
S Ecclestone	4.0	0	28	1	7.00
FMK Morris	3.1	0	20	2	6.25

Wkt	Runs	Players
1st	65	TT Beaumont	SIR Dunkley
2nd	1	HK Matthews	SIR Dunkley
3rd	7	SIR Dunkley	SJ Bryce
4th	44	JL Jonassen	SIR Dunkley

Team	M	W	L	PT	NRR
WF-W	8	5	2	11	0.334
OI-W	8	5	2	11	0.034
LS-W	8	4	3	9	0.08
TR-W	8	4	4	8	0.407
NSC-W	8	3	3	8	0.942
MO-W	8	3	4	7	-0.398
BP-W	8	3	4	7	-0.742
SB-W	8	1	6	3	-0.675

END OF OVER:
19 | 11 Runs | WF-W: 113/3 (1 run required from 5 balls, RR: 5.94, RRR: 1.00)

END OF OVER:
18 | 13 Runs | WF-W: 102/3 (12 runs required from 10 balls, RR: 5.66, RRR: 6.00)

END OF OVER:
17 | 8 Runs | WF-W: 89/3 (25 runs required from 15 balls, RR: 5.23, RRR: 8.33)

END OF OVER:
16 | 8 Runs | WF-W: 81/3 (33 runs required from 20 balls, RR: 5.06, RRR: 8.25)

END OF OVER:
15 | 3 Runs 1 Wkt | WF-W: 73/3 (41 runs required from 25 balls, RR: 4.86, RRR: 8.20)

Match Coverage

Sophia Dunkley slam-dunks Welsh Fire to victory in opener

Fire 2nd innings Partnerships

The Hundred Women's Competition

END OF OVER:19 | 11 Runs | WF-W: 113/3 (1 run required from 5 balls, RR: 5.94, RRR: 1.00)

END OF OVER:18 | 13 Runs | WF-W: 102/3 (12 runs required from 10 balls, RR: 5.66, RRR: 6.00)

END OF OVER:17 | 8 Runs | WF-W: 89/3 (25 runs required from 15 balls, RR: 5.23, RRR: 8.33)

END OF OVER:16 | 8 Runs | WF-W: 81/3 (33 runs required from 20 balls, RR: 5.06, RRR: 8.25)

END OF OVER:15 | 3 Runs 1 Wkt | WF-W: 73/3 (41 runs required from 25 balls, RR: 4.86, RRR: 8.20)

Sophia Dunkley slam-dunks Welsh Fire to victory in opener

END OF OVER:
19 | 11 Runs | WF-W: 113/3 (1 run required from 5 balls, RR: 5.94, RRR: 1.00)

END OF OVER:
18 | 13 Runs | WF-W: 102/3 (12 runs required from 10 balls, RR: 5.66, RRR: 6.00)

END OF OVER:
17 | 8 Runs | WF-W: 89/3 (25 runs required from 15 balls, RR: 5.23, RRR: 8.33)

END OF OVER:
16 | 8 Runs | WF-W: 81/3 (33 runs required from 20 balls, RR: 5.06, RRR: 8.25)

END OF OVER:
15 | 3 Runs 1 Wkt | WF-W: 73/3 (41 runs required from 25 balls, RR: 4.86, RRR: 8.20)