Originals creep over the line as Superchargers stumble in pursuit of top spot
Written by I Dig SportsManchester Originals 108 for 7 (Wellington 33*, Wareham 3-7) beat Northern Superchargers 107 for 8 (Armitage 46, Wellington 2-17) by 3 wickets
Manchester Originals turned the Women's Hundred league table on its head to inflict a three-wicket defeat on the high-flying Northern Superchargers at Emirates Old Trafford
Jemimah Rodrigues and Armitage repaired some of the damage to the Superchargers innings with a stand of 36 in 20 balls before Rodrigues was leg before wicket for 17 when trying to sweep Wellington.
However, the momentum of the visitors' innings was maintained by Armitage and Alice Davidson-Richards who put on 48 and had taken the score to 93 for three after 83 balls before the Originals took five wickets in 16 to restrict the Superchargers to what seemed a modest total.
Davidson-Richards was caught by George off Kathryn Bryce for 27 but the pick of the wickets to fall was that of Georgia Wareham, who was brilliantly caught and bowled by a diving Fi Morris. Armitage did what she could do maintain the run rate before she was stumped by Ellie Threlkeld off Kathryn Bryce for 46 off 43 balls.
Bryce, Gaur and Wellington finished with two wickets apiece in what was a superb effort from the Originals' bowlers in the enforced absence of their skipper, Sophie Ecclestone, who injured her calf during her first set of five.
Originals suffered the early loss of Emma Lamb, who was caught behind off her England team-mate Kate Cross for four, and Fi Morris was caught at mid-off by Davidson-Richards off Linsey Smith for 12.
Moderately placed on 30 for two after the 25 Powerplay balls, the home side almost immediately lost Laura Wolvaardt, bowled by Wareham for eight, and the leg spinner struck twice more in her next set when she bowled Ellie Threlkeld for 10 and had Deandra Dottin leg before wicket for three.
That left the Originals on 40 for five after 45 balls but Bryce and Wellington batted sensibly to take the score to 74 for five with 25 balls left in the innings.
The sixth-wicket pair took their side to with three runs of victory before Bryce was leg before to Lucy Higham for 32 and Sophie Ecclestone, who was batting with a runner, was run out for a single. But George struck her first ball through the covers to seal the win.