Image: Deandra Dottin led Manchester Originals to victory / © ESPNCricinfo
The 17th match of The Hundred Women’s Competition, held at Old Trafford, Manchester, on August 17, 2025, was a gripping, low-scoring battle between Manchester Originals (Women) and Northern Superchargers (Women). The Originals posted 117/5 in their 100 balls, setting a target of 118 for the Superchargers, who fell agonizingly short at 112/7, handing the Originals a thrilling 5-run victory. Deandra Dottin’s explosive, unbeaten 51 off 26 balls earned her the Player of the Match award, her dynamic batting and the Originals’ disciplined bowling proving decisive in a match that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final ball.
The Manchester Originals (Women) batted first after Northern Superchargers won the toss and elected to field. The innings began on a shaky note as the Superchargers’ bowlers, led by Kate Cross, applied early pressure. Beth Mooney, the Originals’ captain and wicketkeeper, adopted a cautious approach but was dismissed for 8 runs off 9 balls, bowled by Cross on the 24th ball. Earlier, Kathryn Bryce fell for 5 off 5 balls, also to Cross, leaving the Originals at 8/1 after just 11 balls. The powerplay (balls 1-25) was challenging, with the team managing only 23 runs while losing two wickets, as the Superchargers’ bowlers maintained a tight line and length.
Amelia Kerr and Seren Smale then provided some stability, forging a crucial partnership to guide the Originals to 51/3 by the 58th ball. Kerr contributed 21 runs off 26 balls, including two fours, before being caught by Hollie Armitage off Lucy Higham’s bowling. Smale, scoring 15 off 20 balls, fell soon after, caught by Annabel Sutherland off Nicola Carey’s bowling, leaving the Originals at 58/4 after 64 balls. The middle phase was tough, with the Superchargers’ bowlers keeping the pressure on. Grace Ballinger and Lucy Higham were particularly economical, conceding just 8 and 7 runs respectively in their 10 balls each, while Cross finished with 2 wickets for 21 runs in her 20 balls.
The game’s turning point arrived with Deandra Dottin’s entry at the crease. With the score at 58/4, Dottin launched a breathtaking counter-attack. Her unbeaten 51 off 26 balls, laced with six fours and three sixes, came at a blistering strike rate of 196.15. Her aggressive batting transformed the innings, particularly in the final 36 balls, where she dominated the opposition. A standout moment was her reaching 50 off just 24 balls, achieved with a flurry of boundaries and towering sixes that showcased her power and precision.
Sophie Ecclestone, batting alongside Dottin, managed only 3 runs off 7 balls before being caught by Phoebe Litchfield off Annabel Sutherland’s bowling, leaving the score at 86/5 after 83 balls. In the closing stages, Dottin found an able partner in Alice Monaghan, who remained not out on 8 off 7 balls, including one four. Their unbroken 31-run stand for the sixth wicket propelled the Originals to 117/5 in their 100 balls, with 6 extras (all wides) adding to the total. The team crossed the 50-run mark in 55 balls and reached 100 in 92 balls, largely thanks to Dottin’s explosive finish.
The Superchargers’ bowlers, while disciplined early on, struggled to contain Dottin’s onslaught. Nicola Carey’s 20 balls went for 32 runs, including two sixes, while Annabel Sutherland and Linsey Smith bowled tidy spells but couldn’t prevent Dottin from stealing the show. The Originals’ innings was a tale of resilience, with a shaky start overcome by Dottin’s game-changing knock, setting a defendable target of 118.
Chasing 118 in 100 balls, the Northern Superchargers (Women) needed a strong start but were immediately put under pressure by the Originals’ bowlers. The innings opened with Davina Perrin and Alice Davidson-Richards, but Perrin was dismissed early for 10 off 11 balls, caught by Sophie Ecclestone off Kathryn Bryce’s bowling on the 14th ball. The powerplay (balls 1-25) was subdued, yielding just 19 runs for the loss of one wicket, with Mahika Gaur and Lauren Filer bowling tightly, conceding 10 and 12 runs respectively in their spells.
Davidson-Richards and Phoebe Litchfield then steadied the innings with a vital 64-run partnership for the second wicket in 47 balls. Litchfield played the aggressor, scoring 31 off 27 balls, including four fours and one six, at a strike rate of 114.81. Davidson-Richards anchored the innings with 29 off 26 balls, hitting four fours. Their partnership took the Superchargers to 75/2 by the 61st ball, with the team reaching 50 runs in 51 balls. However, the momentum shifted when Litchfield was caught by Fi Morris off Bryce’s bowling, breaking the crucial stand.
The Originals’ bowlers, led by Sophie Ecclestone and Amelia Kerr, turned the screws in the middle phase. Davidson-Richards fell soon after, stumped by Beth Mooney off Kerr’s bowling for 29, leaving the score at 85/3 after 72 balls. Annabel Sutherland, a key batter, scored 11 off 11 balls but was caught by Morris off Ecclestone’s bowling, further denting the chase at 90/4 after 77 balls. Hollie Armitage, the Superchargers’ captain, struggled to find rhythm, scoring just 2 off 5 balls before being bowled by Kerr, leaving the score at 92/5 after 81 balls.
With 26 runs needed off the final 19 balls, the Superchargers faced mounting pressure. Bess Heath tried to up the ante but managed only 6 off 9 balls before being caught by Deandra Dottin off Ecclestone’s bowling, leaving the score at 106/6 after 93 balls. Kate Cross, dismissed for 3 off 3 balls, was caught by Bryce off Filer’s bowling, reducing the Superchargers to 110/7 with just 2 balls remaining. Nicola Carey, not out on 8 off 7 balls, and Lucy Higham, not out on 1 off 1 ball, couldn’t bridge the gap, as the Superchargers finished at 112/7, falling 5 runs short.
The Originals’ bowlers shared the wickets, with Ecclestone and Kerr each claiming 2 for 21 and 20 respectively, while Bryce also took 2 for 26. Mahika Gaur was economical, conceding just 10 runs in her 15 balls, and Filer’s 1 for 12 in 15 balls included the crucial wicket of Cross. Dottin, though wicketless, bowled 10 balls for 18 runs, maintaining pressure. The Superchargers’ innings included 11 extras (1 bye, 4 leg byes, 6 wides), but their batting crumbled under the Originals’ disciplined attack, especially in the tense death overs. The chase was defined by a strong middle phase, driven by Litchfield and Davidson-Richards, but key wickets at critical moments and a failure to accelerate in the final stages cost them the game.
In a match where the Northern Superchargers (Women) faced a target of 118 runs from 100 balls, Sophie Ecclestone delivered the TCNI Magic Moment of the Game with her outstanding bowling spell. Representing the Manchester Originals, Ecclestone bowled 20 balls, conceding just 21 runs at an impressive economy rate of 1.05 runs per ball. Her disciplined performance included 9 dot balls, highlighting her ability to choke the opposition’s scoring.
Ecclestone struck twice, removing the dangerous Annabel Sutherland, caught by Fi Morris for 11, and Bess Heath, dismissed for 6, caught by Deandra Dottin. These breakthroughs were pivotal, shifting the momentum as the Superchargers slumped from 75/1 to 106/6. Ecclestone’s accuracy and spin troubled the batters, limiting them to just three boundaries and no sixes during her spell. Her efforts, combined with tight bowling from teammates like Kathryn Bryce and Amelia Kerr, ensured the Superchargers fell short at 112/7, securing a nail-biting 5-run victory for the Originals.
Deandra Dottin was the TCNI Hero of the Day for the Manchester Originals (Women) in this thrilling 100-ball match. The West Indian star delivered a match-defining performance with an unbeaten 51 runs off just 26 balls. Her explosive knock, featuring six fours and three sixes at a staggering strike rate of 196.15, turned the game on its head.
Entering the crease with the Originals struggling at 58/4 after 64 balls, Dottin unleashed a barrage of powerful strokes, single-handedly lifting her team to a competitive 117/5. Her ability to dominate the Superchargers’ bowlers, particularly in the final stages, was instrumental in setting a challenging target. Despite disciplined efforts from Kate Cross, who took 2 wickets, and Nicola Carey, who conceded 32 runs in her 20 balls, Dottin remained unstoppable.