Mandhana masterclass takes Manchester over the line in tense chase

In a tense run-off, Smriti Mandhana won the Women's Hundred with a remarkable lone effort (88*) that included two sixes. Chasing 143 to win against Sunrisers Leeds, the Manchester Super Giants enjoyed a positive start with openers Meg Lanning (24) and Mandhana putting on a 41-run stand. They lost their way thereafter though and slipped from 61/1 to 71/5 in the space of 14 deliveries. Mandhana, however, remained poised under pressure and dominated the scoring during crucial partnerships worth 27 with Grace Scrivens and 48 with Kathryn Bryce. The Sunrisers squandered two opportunities to dismiss Mandhana and she made them pay for the two dropped catches, registering her highest score of the competition. With 44 runs needed from 25 balls, Mandhana, having just reached fifty, lifted the tempo by lifting Deepti Sharma over long-on. She was then dropped by Darcy Carter: the ball bursting through the fielder’s hands and trickling to the ropes. When Mandhana lofted Jess Jonassen over long-off and then hit Annabel Sutherland straight back down to cap a memorable innings, eight runs were required from six balls. Earlier, the Sunrisers made a modest start after being asked to bat first. After opener Bryony Smith scored 26, Phoebe Litchfield (31 points) and Sutherland (35 points) provided the momentum. Sutherland shared a 49-run stand with Lauren Winfield-Hill before a powerful finish materialised through skipper Danielle Gibson’s six-ball 18. “It feels great to win the match. "I was able to get the job done despite the fact that I got a little lucky with the missed chance," Player of the Match Mandhana later stated. "We talked about the fact that the wicket didn't look like a typical Headingley one, that it had a little bit of "hold," and that I didn't start the game the way I wanted to, but we ended well. “In franchise cricket you’re going to have good days and bad days, the turnover is quick, but if you win matches like these, then it puts you in a good place.”