Jos Buttler reminded everyone of his class with a blistering 70 off 37 balls as Manchester Originals crushed Northern Superchargers by seven wickets at Headingley on Tuesday night.
The defeat means the Superchargers missed the chance to leapfrog Trent Rockets into second spot. Their Eliminator opponents will now be confirmed by the result of Rockets vs Birmingham Phoenix at Trent Bridge.
Jos Buttler reminded everyone of his class with a blistering 70 off 37 balls as Manchester Originals crushed Northern Superchargers by seven wickets at Headingley on Tuesday night.
The Originals were already out of contention for the knockout stages, but they ended their campaign in style. Buttler’s sparkling knock, which included seven fours and five sixes, was the difference as the Superchargers were left licking their wounds ahead of Saturday’s Eliminator.
It felt great to finish like that,” Buttler said after being named Hero of the Match. The surface was a bit tricky, a bit slow. I thought we bowled exceptionally well apart from three or four balls and that allowed us to chase it down.
Buttler admitted it was bittersweet: “We showed our best cricket in this last game when we were already out of the tournament, which is frustrating.
"Over the course of the tournament, we left a lot out there. In a couple of games, we failed to get over the line and we are where we deserve to be. Tonight, we showed what we are truly capable of as a team.”
Anderson Breaks Through at Last
England great James Anderson finally claimed his first wickets in The Hundred, dismissing Dawid Malan (5) and Dan Lawrence (8) with the new ball. He could have had a third, but George Garton spilled a chance to remove Harry Brook.
At 73-5 after 67 deliveries, the Superchargers were under pressure. Only a late counter-attack from veteran Samit Patel (42 off 19) and David Miller (30 off 22) lifted them to 139/8.
Tom Aspinwall (3-17) was the pick of the Originals’ bowlers, while Josh Tongue (2-20) and Anderson (2-30) gave excellent support.
Buttler and Ravindra Seal it
The Originals made a nervy start, losing Phil Salt (9) and Ben McKinney (6) early. But Buttler’s arrival changed everything. He and New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra (47 not out off 23) put on a stunning 99-run partnership from just 48 balls, taking the game away from the Superchargers.
Superchargers Women Cruise into Eliminator
There was far better news for the Superchargers Women, who stormed into Saturday’s Eliminator against London Spirit with a dominant eight-wicket victory over Manchester Originals.
The Originals needed a huge win to qualify, but their hopes evaporated when they were bowled out for just 94. Only Beth Mooney (20 off 13) offered resistance, as Annabel Sutherland (3-15) and Nicola Carey (2-13) ripped through the line-up. Kate Cross added a miserly spell of 1-6 from 15 deliveries.
Davidson-Richards and Sutherland Finish the Job
In reply, the Superchargers chased down the target with ease. Alice Davidson-Richards smashed 30 off 18, while Sutherland capped her brilliant all-round display with 30 not out from 17 balls. Phoebe Litchfield (26 not out) joined her to complete the job with 35 balls to spare.
It feels great. Hopefully we can carry that momentum into the next two games. We love it at Headingley and I guess it shows in the results we’ve got here. “Everyone’s really keen for Saturday, and hopefully we will put our best foot forward. We honestly just have a blast out there.”
What’s Next
With Southern Brave Women already booked for the Lord’s final, Superchargers vs Spirit in Saturday’s Eliminator will decide who joins them. On the men’s side, all eyes now turn to Trent Bridge, where Rockets face Phoenix in the final group game to complete the knockout line-up.
