London Spirit tie match thanks to Jones and Kelly knocks

The match ended in a tie after a dramatic chase by London Spirit. Jones and Kelly shone with the bat to drag Spirit back into the game. Their partnership kept Spirit in the hunt and got them all the way to level scores. It was a tight finish — Spirit needed big runs late and Jones + Kelly delivered under pressure, but fell just short of a win, settling for a tie instead. In a classic London derby between these two refashioned rivals, bragging rights and points were shared as the teams played out an extraordinary tie on a scorching afternoon in the capital. The result leaves MI London searching for their first win, and with just two points from four matches, they are struggling to stay in contention for the knockout stages. They will still be asking themselves how they didn't win this one. Setting the game up, they batted with great intent to leave the Spirit needing to record the third-highest successful chase in the competition's history. MI London Inning Melie Kerr set the tone for the hosts: 49 off 32 balls*, finding gaps and opening up the offside. The finish was all Chinelle Henry. The Jamaican smashed 33 off 12, including 16 off Nadine de Klerk’s last 3 balls. Kerr + Henry put on 55 off 23 together, pushing MI London to 151.Henry then struck with the new ball too, getting Grace Harris out first ball with a leading edge. MI London looked in control. London Spirit chase Marie Kelly kept them in it: fluent 45 off 25. Then Marizanne Kapp took over. She hit a quickfire 25 in a 51-run stand with Amy Jones, who held the innings together at the other end. That partnership pulled Spirit back from trouble and forced the game to a tie. MI London had the momentum through Kerr and Henry’s late blitz, but Spirit’s middle-order — Kelly’s fluency and Kapp/Jones’ 51-run stand — wrestled it back to finish level. With five balls left, the Spirit needed nine to win. Matthews took the ball against Deandra Dottin, her fellow Barbadian. Dottin slapped her first ball for four, and drilled her second straight to extra cover. After de Klerk then picked out Kerr at deep midwicket, a single left Dottin needing three to win it off the last. She clubbed into the legside, scampering back for two to complete the tie and, by the barest of margins, keep her team just about alive in the competition. Meerkat Match Hero Marie Kelly said: "I was so nervous sat on the side, not being able to do anything about it. I feel a bit flat that we've tied that one, we were in a great position at one stage, but they pulled it back really well. It's a strange feeling." MI London 151 for 4 (Kerr 49, Kapp 2-24) tied with London Spirit 151 for 5 (Jones 49, Kelly 45)