Trent Rockets Women narrowly missed out on a final place in the Hundred at Lords later today after being beaten by just two runs against Southern Brave in Southampton.
The Rockets put the Brave into bat and took the early wicket of Danni Wyatt with Sophie Munro catching from Bryony Smith’s delivery in just the third ball.
Southern then went for a second as Georgia Davis had Dunkley caught Villani with the home side 9 for 2.
Smriti Mandanha and Tahlia McGrath however restored some parity, Mandrana eventually going for 16 (off Sciver) with 32 on the board before Maia Bouchier helped raced the score along. McGrath eventually falling to Davis for her second wicket, after scoring 31, before Bouchier went with 109 on the board, she fell to Katherine Brunt after scoring 29 off 24 balls.
Georgia Adams contributed to a huge 38 from 24 balls before losing her wicket last ball to Bryony Smith, at the end Freya Kemp left 4 not out with the score on 134 for 6.
In response the Rockets started well, scoring at little over a run a ball before losing opener Bryony Smith for 16 with the teams total on 40.
Two wickets in three balls by Tahlia McGrath had the Rockets tumble with Villani out for 24 before du Preez fell for just one, Trent suddenly 45 for 3.
Nat Sciver however was excellent and was there at the end chasing down the Brave tally, but she couldn’t forge a partnership as wickets tumbled around her. Kelly scoring eight before losing her wicket before King went bowled Wellington for just one.
Katherine Brunt and Abi Freeborn then suffered run outs after each scoring just two runs before Sarah Glenn came to the crease with fourteen balls remaining and 32 runs still to reach, Sciver’s brave attempt as Glenn largely watched on, saw her score a whopping 72 not out from 36 balls, Glenn at the end on 2 not out from just 2 balls faced, Trent finishing an agonising 2 runs short, ending the match on 132 for 7 to the Brave’s delight.
A near miss for the Rockets who will watch instead, their male counterparts in the final today.
In the women’s hundred final the Oval Invincibles will face Southern Brave and after that, in a match starting at 6:30pm, the Rockets take on Manchester Originals for the top prize. Manchester beating London Spirit yesterday by five wickets and with eleven balls of the match to spare.
*Main image @TrentBridge the Rockets so close against the Brave.
