MI London hold out in nail-biting tie with Spirit

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London Spirit batter Amy Jones was unable to take her side to their target of 152

ByMike PeterBBC Sport journalist

Published19 minutes ago

The Hundred women's competition, The Oval

MI London 151-4 (100 balls): Kerr 49* (32); Kapp 2-24

London Spirit (151-5 balls): Jones (49); Gordon 2-29, Matthews 2-33

Match tied

Scorecard. Table

MI London held London Spirit to a nail-biting tie at The Oval after Hayley Matthews conceded only three runs from the last three balls of the match.

With Spirit needing nine off the final set, Matthews' international team-mate Deandra Dottin struck a four off the first ball before adding a single from the following delivery.

Matthews struck back, having Nadine de Klerk caught at deep mid-wicket for 13 and keeping new batter Charlie Dean to a single.

Dottin was only able to chop Matthews' final delivery into the leg side, scrambling through for two as the two sides played out their second tie in three years.

The south London franchise, who secured their first points of the season after losing their opening three matches, reached 151-4 after being put into bat.

Melie Kerr struck an unbeaten 49 from 32 balls from number three, putting on 46 with captain Hollie Armitage (23) and an unbroken stand of 54 with Chinelle Henry, who hit two fours and two sixes in a 12-ball 33.

Henry then had big-hitting opener Grace Harris caught by Armitage off the first ball of the reply, but Amy Jones steadied the Spirit innings.

The visiting wicketkeeper also top-scored with 49, with her total coming from 36 balls, putting on partnerships of 68 with Marie Kelly (45) and 51 with Marizanne Kapp (25).

Spirit looked well set, needing 33 from 26 balls, before they lost Jones and Kapp within the space of four deliveries.

Kapp top-edged Matthews to Dani Gregory immediately after hitting a six, while Jones swept Kirstie Gordon to Nicola Carey at backward square straight after hitting four through the covers.

MI kept themselves in the hunt, conceding 19 off the next 17 balls, setting up the dramatic final set which saw Spirit finish on 151-5.

The home side move off the bottom of the table, with their two points taking them above Birmingham Phoenix on net run-rate.

Spirit rise above Welsh Fire and Sunrisers Leeds to sit fourth, with a win, a defeat and a tie from their three matches.

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What is happening on Thursday?

Southern Brave face Birmingham Phoenix in Southampton on Thursday.

In the women's competition, the home side, who sit at the top of the table, will be aiming for a fourth win from as many matches, while Phoenix are yet to win after two games. They meet at 15:00 BST.

Brave's men, meanwhile, will be eyeing their first win of the season in the match that follows at 18.30.

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