Southern Brave Women vs Trent Rockets Women Match 29 Full Commentary

We are back for the second innings! The players have already taken over the field. Out come the two batters of Trent Rockets. Beth Mooney will be pairing with Sophia Dunkley to open the innings. Lauren Bell has the new ball in hand with a slip in place. Away we go...

... THE RUN CHASE ...

Collapse seals a below-par total - Southern Brave lost 3 wickets for just 7 runs in a torrid stretch, and the middle order failed to put up an extraordinary finish, which led them to post 117 runs on the board. Georgia Adams was the pick of the bowlers for Trent Rockets, snaring 2/14 in her four sets of five, well supported by Georgia Elwiss, Kim Garth and Samantha Bates, who picked up a wicket apiece. With the Rockets' bowlers dictating terms throughout, 118 feels distinctly below-par target, and it now sets up a fascinating chase where Trent Rockets will fancy their chances of wrapping this one up with plenty to spare. Stick around as the second chapter will unfold in no time.

Up for a quick chat - Trent Rockets Women's Georgia Adams says she was delighted to finally make an impact with the ball after putting in plenty of hard work behind the scenes. She felt it was great to get into the game and contribute with her bowling. Adams says she had made sure she prepared hard and stayed ready for every game, while crediting the bowling line-up for its consistency throughout the tournament. She felt the attack had adapted well to different conditions and benefited from a balanced combination of three spinners and three seamers. With spin expected to have more impact as the tournament progressed, she stressed the importance of staying ready for her opportunity. Adams credits the bowlers who operated through the powerplay, saying they had been outstanding whenever they had been given the responsibility. She felt the wicket had actually been flatter than expected and offered little turn or purchase from the slower balls. However, they were happy with how they restricted Southern Brave Women and kept things simple through the middle, with the strong Powerplay bowling setting them up nicely. Adams shares that they pride themselves on getting good starts, with Beth and Sophia impressing at the top of the order. She notes that one had often carried on when the other had missed out, while praising the top four for the way they had gone about their business. With plenty of experience in the side, Adams hoped it would be an easy day for her with the bat and was looking forward to watching her teammates finish the job.

Solid foundations, shaky finish - Maia Bouchier top-scored with a composed 38 off 33 balls, while Lizelle Lee also chipped in nicely with 31 off 28. The pair put on 49 for the opening stand, but the only problem was it wasn't a fierce start. The Openers took their time to get settled on the slow track, but just when they were about to trigger the score, they lost their wicket. First it was Lee who fell, after which Laura Wolvaardt added a steady 24 to keep the innings ticking along. But the second wicket fall in shape of Wolvaardt, the wickets kept tumbling in the back end.

Rockets showing their class - Certainly an inning to enjoy if you are a Trent Rockets fan. Their bowlers were impeccably disciplined with their lines and lengths, and just showed why they really are the table toppers. Yes, the pitch was a bit inclined towards the bowlers as the ball was stopping a shade on the track, but 117 seems to be a low total even on this slow pitch.

Kim Garth will bowl the final set of the innings.

Naomi Dattani is the next batter.

Wickets are tumbling one after the other. Phoebe Franklin walks up to face the Hat-Trick delivery.

Both the set batters are back in their hut. Jodi Grewcock walks up to the middle now.

Moving to the Men's encounter - Right then, that brings an entertaining contest to a close, with Trent Rockets Women getting the job done against Southern Brave Women to book their place directly in the final. Up next is the Men’s clash between the same two sides, with the scenario much the same - the Rockets need a win to secure a spot in the final, while the Brave are already eliminated. The toss has taken place, with Southern Brave opting to bowl first. Just switch tabs and enjoy our coverage of that game. Cheers!

The victorious skipper of Trent Rockets Women - Ashleigh Gardner says Trent Rockets have played consistently throughout the tournament and put themselves in the best position to win the title. She adds she had never played the playoffs for the Rockets before and felt it was fantastic to lead a side that had undergone plenty of change. Gardner is pleased to see the players express themselves in their own ways while enjoying success along the way. Gardner mentions momentum is a fantastic thing in these competitions. While playing the Eliminator could provide an extra game, she feels no team would turn down a direct route to the final and the chance to avoid that extra fixture. She is pleased that different players have stepped up at different times rather than the team relying on one or two individuals, while the experience within the squad has been a major asset. Gardner shares that the Rockets feel like a family, with a relaxed environment throughout the franchise. She values being part of a setup that puts players first as people while respecting them as cricketers, something she feels came from the top. She believes they had assembled their most well-balanced squad yet, with an average age of around 29 or 30 and enough experience to trust anyone in pressure situations. She says that experience had been particularly valuable to her as captain and in conversations with her teammates. Gardner says the Rockets had been tested at different stages throughout the tournament but consistently found ways to win, with their only defeat also going down to the wire. She feels putting themselves in winning positions and getting across the line is pleasing, with this being their toughest challenge recently. Gardner calls it a privilege to have someone of Nat Sciver-Brunt’s quality coming in at No. 7, explaining that the decision was tactical for her health and confirming she was fine. She praises Nat’s outstanding innings, calling her the match hero and a class act who understood the game exceptionally well.

Brave fight but not enough - Southern Brave Women were superb with the new ball, with Issy Wong and Tilly Corteen-Coleman taking a wicket each before a run-out gifted them another. However, they could not build on that start, and while Tilly returned to remove Ashleigh Gardner, the damage was already done. They had no answers to Nat Sciver-Brunt’s experience, and despite forcing a couple more run-outs, the result was never really in doubt.

Trent rule with the ball - Earlier in the game, Southern Brave Women posted a middling total after a decent 49-run opening stand, with Lizelle Lee and Maia Bouchier scoring in the 30s and stand-in skipper Laura Wolvaardt adding 24. However, four wickets for seven runs stalled their innings, with Charli Knott doing her best to provide a late push. Trent Rockets Women were excellent with the ball, despite some sloppy fielding. Georgia Adams led the way with 2/14, while Kim Garth, Samantha Bates and Georgia Elwiss took one each, with no bowler conceding more than eight runs an over.

Brunt brilliance seals the deal - The chase for Trent Rockets Women could hardly have started worse, with them slipping to 10/3, the lowest Powerplay score in Women’s Hundred history. Once they reached 27, the mark needed to secure a place in the final, skipper Ashleigh Gardner changed gears and added 53 with Beth Mooney to steady the innings. Gardner made 37 off 25, but both fell in quick succession to leave the Rockets 66/5. Nat Sciver-Brunt then took charge with a fiery 32 off 19, making light of the conditions before falling just at the final hurdle. Georgia Elwiss and Georgia Adams chipped in with valuable runs alongside her, before Kim Garth’s edge wrapped things up.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Nat Sciver-Brunt wins the award for her match-winning contribution of 32 off 19 balls. She says that they are happy to be on the winning side. Continues that the wicket was slow and was tough to bat on, but she shares the credit with their bowlers, who have put in an amazing shift in the first innings. About her batting deep in the order, she replies that it was tactical, and also that she needs her body to rest as she just got over an injury a few months back. About her performance this season, she notes that they have a lot of people in form in their team, so it obviously boosts the team's morale. About the preparation for Sunday's Final, Nat comments that they will be resting a couple of runs and will be coming with fresh minds in London. On playing at Trent Bridge, she says that they have a special fan as the atmosphere is electrifying in each match they have played here.

Rockets survive to reach the final - Trent Rockets Women have scraped over the line, though they would have wanted a more comfortable finish. Still, the result is what matters, and this makes it six wins in a row. They now get a handy break before the final, while Southern Brave Women will rue letting this slip after having the Rockets on the ropes early on. It is now three defeats in a row for the Brave, who must regroup quickly before the Eliminator.

Who walks out now? It will be Kim Garth.

We are going to the last set. However, one feels it is Trent Rockets Women's game, with them just needing 2 runs to win. Charli Knott will bowl.

Last 10 balls. Trent Rockets Women need just 11 runs to win. Lauren Bell comes back into the attack.

Time for Tilly Corteen-Coleman to bowl out.

The next batter in is Georgia Elwiss.