Very full on off, squeezed towards long-on
Fire vs N S-Chargers, Eliminator at London, Women's Hundred, Aug 26 2023 - Ball by Ball Commentary
Right, I shall leave you with those thoughts. And on cue, bright sunshine returns to The Oval! Such an impressive career for Hartley, not an ideal result today. But such is life. Don't forget that the men's game is around and do join us for that. For now, this is Sudarshanan signing off. Ciao!
4:44pm Match abandoned! There was another flash of lightning and perhaps the umpires also felt we couldn't have got underway for a five-set game at 5:11pm. Sad exit for Fire, who turned around two wooden-spoon finishes magnificently to make the Eliminator this year. Superchargers set finals date with Brave at Lord's tomorrow.
Unfortunate end today, but there is more Hundred action in store. The boundary cushions at The Oval are being pushed back for the men's game that is scheduled to start in under two hours.
That also is curtains to Alex Hartley's professional career. She is in the studio with Kate Cross for a chat. "Feel so good to put the old dogs up," says Hartley, "Would have been so good to sign off with a win. Can't look past the World Cup final. Was a dream to play cricket for England, can't look past that."
"She has done brilliantly and has retired for what, 123 times now?" says Cross. "I have said it a few times, she plays with a smile on her face. Played together for Lancashire and got to play her final game at Headingley."
"The game is moving at a speed I can't keep up with anymore," Hartley adds. "The game is professional and I have a broadcasting career too."
4:40pm The rain has stopped. Will mop ups be done with in another 30 minutes, though? The officials are having a chat with both the captains.
4:28pm Very very heavy rain, can almost hear it through the broadcast. Could also hear the thunder from the broadcast. Bleak!
Saurabh M: "@Sudarshanan who goes through if this gets washed out ??" That will be that for Fire and Superchargers will go through as they finished second on the points table after the league stage
4:24pm Raining properly now, says Paul from the venue. Very little scope for a 75-ball chase. The start time for a 25-ball chase is 5:11pm
4:19pm Curtains for Welsh Fire innings! Beaumont waged a tough battle with 37 and was just kinda getting into next gear. Larris was also was in her elements today. Sadly for Fire, that is that. We still have to hear about the target, resumption and the length of this game, but sadly for Fire, their time with the bat is done
That Cross over was just changing momentum after Superchargers largely had Fire in check. Spinners Higham and Wareham were hard to hit, and Rodrigues had suggested when mic'd up that there was enough purchase on it for spinners. Our scorer Venkat Raghav chimes that a 75-ball target for Superchargers would be 118. How will the chase pan out? More importantly, will we have a chase? Here's Miller's seaweed making an appearance
4:17pm "The players will not return to field until 30 minutes after the last lightning or thunder strike unless the match officials are confident the storm has passed i.e. blue skies," is the official word
4:08pm Bad news! Lightning forces covers to come on the field. Gloomy, dark clouds over the ground and there is forecast for more. No rain just yet
Strategic time-out!
Banged away for half a dozen! Goes full and bowls it in the slot on leg, Beaumont clears her front leg and heaves it for a 75-metre hit over deep midwicket
Full on middle and leg, chipped to long-on
Full toss on middle, Harris heaves it away well over square leg. Gets down on a knee quickly and swings her arms freely for a 62-metre hit
Fuller on off, gets it off the inner half through forward square leg
Cross to perhaps bowl two of the last five sets
Innovative and at her destructive best. Harris shapes for the reverse pull quite early. Ballinger follower her with a short ball but Larris maintains her balance and plays it well over backward point
Fuller outside off at 64mph, Harris looks to go over extra cover but does not quite get the timing right
Beaumont backs away but Ballinger follows her with a length ball, that is punched down to long-on
Very full on off, hit hard back down. Ballinger sticks her right foot out and directs it towards cover
Laura Harris in at No. 4
Matthews miscues one to mid-off!. She backs away to go over the off side but the bat turns in her hands and she skies it. Litchfield takes back a few steps and takes it comfortably
Last set for Ballinger, around the stumps. Armitage mindful of denying spin to Matthews
Edged away again. Comes down the track to fetch the pull but gets it off the top edge towards fine leg
Slower one on a shortish length, she is early in her attempted pull
SACHU: "Ball 57 is the quickest third umpire decision I've ever seen"
Length ball on pulled through front of square on the on side
Length ball around off, hammers the pull to deep midwicket
Fortune favours Matthews. Charges down to the length ball and looks to go across but gets a thick outside edge just over short third
Davidson-Richards
Length ball angling away again, Beaumont shapes to scoop but due to the angle, attempts the reverse scooop, misses
Length ball on off and middle, nudged towards vacant midwicket
Backs away but Ballinger spears in a yorker just outside off at 65mph. Matthews misses it
Fuller on leg, she backs away and places it towards cover and gets to the other end. There is a direct hit at the bowler's end after cover swooped in but Beaumont is well in
Full on off, flicked through wide mid-on
Ballinger