‘ The Hundred’ Northern superchargers v London Spirit August 14th

Neil Whitaker reports from Headingley

IT'S now played four and won four for the London Spirit as they beat the Northern Supercharges by seven wickets with 18 balls to spare at Headingley.

Leading them home was wicket keeper and opening batter Adam Rossington who hit 66 and the fastest fifty in the Hundred which came from 15 balls.   Chasing 144 to win Rossington drilled the second ball from Roelof Van Der Merwe to the point boundary and then lofted the next three balls straight for  consecutive sixes.  After facing seven balls he had hit three fours and three three sixes.

He pulled Wahab Riaz’ first ball for a six the same fate fell to Dwayne   Bravo’s first ball. He reached his fifty when he drilled Craig Miles for a straight six over long off. His fifty came from 15 balls with six fours and three fours. The match was as good as over now.  His 66 came from 25 balls and included seven sixes and three fours.

All his opening partner Daniel Bell-Drummond could do was watch open mouth but after seeing Rossington blast the ball to all parts of Headingley he must have decided that he wanted some of it and went down the pitch to Adil Rashid missed the ball and was bowled.

The departure of Bell-Drummond brought in the Aussie Glen Maxwell who has history of hitting sixes at Headingley.  He flung himself into a drive off Wahib Riaz as the ball flew to the extra cover boundary.

On 58 Rossington pulled Miles to Van Der Merwe on the mid wicket boundary but he couldn’t hold on to it and hurt himself as he fell. Rossington greeted Van Der Merwe’s return to the attack with a low straight six. He went for another six a bit wider but found Miles  on the mid wicket boundary. 

Rossington said: “It was very enjoyable.  We thought that it was a gettable score if we went hard and fast in the powerplay.   My job was to set the innings up and hit through the line. In their innings the ball held more than I’ve seen it do before here but we did think that they were 20 below par.”

The Northern SuperCharges captain Faf  Du Plessis said: “Credit hasn’t to go to Rossington, we didn’t expect that.  When we batted the pitch was quite sticky and we hoped that it stay the same for them. When someone attacks you like he did it puts pressure on you as captain and the bowlers. As a captain you change the bowlers to find ways to get wickets and that puts pressure on the bowlers but he had all the answers.

To lose three matches on the bounce is never nice, we’ve made a few mistakes  and we’ve got to learn from them.”

Du Plessis top scored with 56 as his team reached 143 for five in their 100 balls. He said: “I needed that knock and some in the middle.  Spending time in the middle will held me and I hope that I will learn from that.”

After winning the toss and deciding to Du Plesses  soon saw his opening partner Adam Lyth back in the hutch after five balls for a duck. when clipped the fifth ball from Maxwell to Kieran  Pollard at mid wicket. 

Mason Crane was introduced into the attack at the Kirkstall lane end and he got David Willey stumped by Rossington after adding 37 in 34 balls with Du Plesses.

The Northern Supercharges suffered a big  blow when Crane got his second wicket, the big wicket of Harry  Brook, when he sliced his drive and found Maxwell on the long off boundary.

Michael Pepper nearly flung himself off his feet as he flat batted Brad Wheal to the long off and not even the fingertips of Bell-Drummond at point could prevent Pepper from getting his second consecutive four.  He smeared Craine over mid wicket for a six.

Du Plessis scooped Nathan Ellis over  fine leg for a four to bring up his 50 from 31 balls.  He threw himself off his feet as he tried to hit Jordan Thompson over the Howard stand but as he did he missed the ball and lost his off stump.

Pepper went down the pitch to Thompson but sliced his drive and was lucky that he was dropped by Bell-Drummond on the point boundary.  

Adam Hose hooked Wheal over the fine leg boundary for a six.  Then in the next set he pulled Ellis to the square leg boundary and drilled the next ball to the extra cover boundary.  He was run out going for a second off the last ball.

Scorecard