The Hundred women’s competition, Trent Bridge
Trent Rockets 142-7 (100 balls): Gardner 34 (22); Kapp 3-12
London Spirit 146-5 (97 balls): De Klerk 41* (22); Gardner 2-24
London Spirit won by five wickets
All-rounder Nadine de Klerk held her nerve to lead London Spirit to a tense five-wicket win over Trent Rockets with three balls to spare.
Chasing 143 at Trent Bridge, Spirit were in trouble at 67-4 after losing four wickets for 12 runs and were in danger of wasting their positive start from opener Grace Harris’ knock of 37 from 20 balls.
But De Klerk and Marie Kelly combined for a counter-attacking stand of 63 from 37 balls to propel Spirit to their first win of the season.
With power-hitter Deandra Dottin waiting in the dugout, there was some concern about Kelly’s slow start as she stuttered to 12 from 13 balls, but she impressively kicked on to score 39 from 26 deliveries.
After her departure with 13 still needed to win, Rockets’ bowlers fought to take the game deep but De Klerk – who has made a name for herself as a finisher in the past couple of years – whacked two sixes in the last four balls in a nerveless knock of 41 not out from 22 balls.
Earlier, De Klerk’s fellow South African Marizanne Kapp had set the tone with the ball for Spirit with a fine spell of 3-12.
Kapp bowled Beth Mooney first ball before removing Sophia Dunkley and Sophie Luff, but Ash Gardner’s 34 and a dynamic 31 off 19 balls from Bess Heath led Rockets’ recovery to 142-7.
Gardner was caught on the boundary off England’s Charlie Dean, who also impressed with 2-18, which allowed Spirit to keep the run-rate under control as Heath struggled for support from the lower order.
Both teams have one win from two so far, but Rockets are more comfortable at third in the table with a superior net run-rate.
The earlier match between Manchester Super Giants and Birmingham Phoenix was abandoned without a ball bowled at Old Trafford.