Manchester Originals held their nerve with the ball to defy an impressive stand between Nat Sciver-Brunt and Australia’s Ash Gardner and beat Trent Rockets in the Hundred competition by one run at Old Trafford.
Skipper Sciver-Brunt made an unbeaten 56 and Sydney-born all-rounder Gardner added 36 in a fourth-wicket partnership of 86 and looked primed to take the Rockets over the line.
But with three balls left and victory in sight Kathryn Bryce dismissed Gardner to drag the game back in the home side’s favour.
Ultimately Sciver-Brunt needed a final-ball boundary to win the game, but could only manage two.
Bryce’s momentum-swinging intervention rounded off an excellent team performance for the Originals, who would have been happy to post 6-137 on a slow pitch after being asked to bat first.
Eve Jones (34), Australian superstar opener Beth Mooney (24) and Bryce (32) were the mainstays of their effort – their highest total since 2022 – and once again captain Sophie Ecclestone added late momentum with a powerful five-ball 13 that included two sixes.
Early wickets in Trent Rockets’ reply from the pacy and impressive Lauren Filer saw the Originals ahead of the game but once Sciver-Brunt and Gardner came together the Rockets appeared increasingly comfortable despite the rising run-rate.
When Sciver-Brunt hit Ecclestone for two fours within the final 15 deliveries, she appeared to have done enough to make it two wins from two for her team but Bryce and the Originals had the final say to get the Rockets off the mark.
Content Source: www.perthnow.com.au