Lauren Winfield-Hill haunted her former teammates as the Oval Invincibles began the defence of their title with an resounding nine wicket win over Northern Superchargers in the opening game of the 2022 Women’s Hundred.

Former England opener Hill hit an unbeaten 74 from 42 balls, sharing in a century opening stand with Suzie Best as the home side cantered to a realistic target of only 144 with 16 balls to spare.

The opening match in this seasons women’s hundred saw last years winners Surrey Invincibles up against Northern Superchargers.

The Invincibles won the toss and elected to field first. Alyssa Healy and Jemimah Rodrigues opened the batting with Mady Villiers opening the bowling from the Vauxhall End.

Australian Healy was quickly into her stride by hitting Villiers straight back over her head to her second delivery with the first maximum of the game. Healy should have been taken shortly afterwards when Shabnim Ismail dropped a straight forward chance at mid-on.

However, the Australian lasted just six more balls when she holed out to mid on for 15 off the bowling of left arm spinner Sophia Smale.

Spin was working for the home side with birthday girl- 18 today- Alice Capsey bagging a birthday wicket when Bess Heath(6) reverse swept Capsey straight to backward point.

Seam was introduced into the attack and paid dividends when Ismail made up for her earlier drop by bowling Hollie Armitage(1) to leave the Superchargers 38 for 3 after 26 balls.

It was down to captain Laura Wolvaardt and Rodrigues to pull Superchargers around with a partnership of 66 with Rodrigues bringing up her half century before next ball perishing in the deep for 51.

Wolvaardt made a useful 49 off 39 balls before falling off the last ball of the hundred by chipping straight to cover as Northern Superchargers finished their hundred balls on 143 for 5.

Openers for the defending champions Lauren Winfield-Hill and Suzie Bates set the hosts well on their way to victory with a century partnership before Bates- who was earlier put down at short third man when she had made ten- holed out in the deep off Jenny Gunn for 46 made off 34 balls, to leave Invincibles the pretty straightforward target of 40 required off 32 balls.

Winfield-Hill made short work of that target by finishing unbeaten on 74 made off 42 deliveries including 11 fours along with a cameo innings from the birthday girl Capsey  with an unbeaten 25 including four consecutive boundaries along with the winning runs scored off only eight balls to see Invincibles home with 16 balls remaining to start off the defence of their title with a comfortable victory.

Oval  Invincibles    vs Northern Superchargers

                            Northern Superchargers  143-5     Oval Invincibles  146-1 (84)

                                Oval Invincibles won by nine wickets

                    Women’s Hundred  Thursday 11^th August 2022

                           Peter Moore at the Kia Oval

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