Captain Suzie Bates fired an unbeaten 79 as Oval Invincibles beat the Manchester Originals to reach the women’s final of The Hundred; watch the Invincibles take on either Southern Brave or Trent Rockets in Saturday’s final live on Sky Sports

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Highlights of the Manchester Originals match with the Oval Invincibles in The Hundred

Oval Invincibles qualified for the women’s final of The Hundred in style, racking up the highest score of this year’s competition as they brushed aside the Manchester Originals by 32 runs at Emirates Old Trafford.

Story of the match

The Invincibles’ score of 163-2 was powered by an unbeaten 79 from captain Suzie Bates, and they can now look forward to the showcase match at Lord’s on Saturday against either Southern Brave or Trent Rockets.

The Originals never got close, with the defeat ending their slim chance of qualification for the latter stages of the competition, despite 64 from Lizelle Lee in what could be her last match for the team.

Teenager Sophia Smale and Marizanne Kapp, who enjoyed a good day with bat and ball, were the pick of the bowlers, both finishing with two wickets as the Originals were restricted to 131-6 in a dominant display for the London-based side.

Knowing that a victory would guarantee them top spot and an automatic berth in the final, the Invincibles won the toss and chose to bat first, a decision justified by the fluent start provided by the experienced opening pairing of Bates and Lauren Winfield-Hill.

The pair had raced to 62 in just 43 balls when Winfield-Hill was caught by Erin Burns in the deep off Emma Lamb for 25, but New Zealander Bates was undeterred, bringing up an impressive fifty off 33 balls, before Alice Capsey was bowled by Sophie Ecclestone for 18 trying to keep the runs flowing.

That brought Kapp to the crease, returning to the team after missing the last two outings, and she and Bates played powerfully around the ground to elevate their team to an impressive 163 with an unbroken partnership of 67 from just 36 balls.

Bates’ innings of 79 featured nine fours and two sixes, while Kapp’s 36 contained five boundaries, including one maximum.

Suzie Bates played a starring role for the Invincibles

That total was just short of the overall record women’s team total for The Hundred – 166 set by Southern Brave last year – but the Invincibles will take satisfaction from knowing their victory, coupled with the Brave’s shock defeat to the Northern Superchargers earlier in the day, means they will avoid having to play in Friday’s Eliminator at the Brave’s expense.

The Originals knew they had to chase the runs down in 72 balls for a spot in the play-offs, and that seemed unlikely when Lamb was bowled by Smale without scoring. Bates and Kapp then combined again, as Amy Satterthwaite was caught by the former off the latter’s bowling for just two.

Lee’s lone hand was set against the wickets that tumbled around her. Burns was bowled by Smale for five, Ecclestone was caught by Capsey off Kapp for one, and Daisy Mullan was run out for nine on her Hundred debut.

Lee reached her fifty off 34 balls before finally perishing for 64 off 41, caught on the boundary off Eva Gray, to a warm ovation from the appreciative home crowd.

Ami Campbell restored some pride in the Originals’ performance, striking a couple of boundaries in a run-a-ball 23, but it was not enough to save her side from elimination.

What’s next?

Watch the women’s and men’s Eliminators from the Ageas Bowl live on Sky Sports from 3pm and 6.30pm, respectively, on Friday September 2.

The Finals will then be played at Lord’s on Saturday September 3 from 3pm and 6.30pm again.

Watch every match from The Hundred this summer live on Sky Sports.

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