Sunrisers Leeds Women vs Trent Rockets Women Final Full Commentary

We are back for the chase! The umpires have taken their places out in the middle, and the players of Sunrisers Leeds Women can be seen in a huddle before striding onto the field. Beth Mooney and Sophia Dunkley make their way through the smoke to open the innings for Trent Rockets Women. Cassidy McCarthy will take the new ball for Sunrisers. Let's go...

... The Run Chase ...

A pretty straightforward chase? It has been a fairly low-scoring season in The Hundred Women's competition, and the average score in the Finals of this competition is also pretty low, less than 120. However, 92 just doesn't seem a challenging total to gun down, no matter what pitch you're playing on. If the Rockets' openers get off to a decent start in the Powerplay, it should be all over soon. But 2-3 wickets early on and the Sunrisers will be right back in it. Stay tuned for the chase.

The pressure is always there - Trent Rockets' GEORGIA ADAMS is up for a chat. She is first asked about appearing in 5 finals in 6 editions of The Hundred. To this, Adams smiles but is humble enough to say that she feels incredibly great to get the opportunity to be here. Adds that she is in different colours this season and also the amazing crowd that has turned up at Lord's. The next question is whether she still feels the pressure of the finals. Georgia smiles again and honestly replies that the pressure of the final is always there, especially with every team doing well. However, she adds that with each experience, you learn quite a lot. Explains that one of those lessons is to stay calm and not try too many things. Cheekily adds that sometimes, she finds it hard though. On the performance here, GA laughs and says that when she got out of bed this morning, she didn't think that the Rockets would see this sort of a scorecard. Is proud of her mates. On whether she feels comfortable with the target, Georgia Adams smiles again and says that at Lord's, you can never be sure of being comfortable. Ends by saying that the Sunrisers have got a good bowling lineup but if the Rockets keep their nerves and bat normally, she believes that they can get the job done, keeping her fingers crossed at the same time.

All is not lost yet - Sunrisers Leeds Women will be thoroughly disappointed with that batting effort, but sometimes when a team comes to a low-scoring ground after playing a majority of their matches at a high-scoring venue, adjusting becomes difficult. There was early damage but things really went downhill when a budding partnership between Deepti Sharma and Annabel Sutherland was broken. Sutherland looked in good touch, but she too crumbled under pressure. Danielle Gibson made a valuable late contribution with the bat, but even that wasn't enough to take the Sunrisers past the 100-run mark.

An all-round effort - Yes, it was indeed an all-round effort from the Rockets' bowlers, and even the fielders were on point. Kim Garth did the early damage with a couple of quick wickets, after which Charley Phillips got a couple of big wickets herself. The spinners kept the pressure on in the middle phase, and barring skipper Ashleigh Gardner, everyone was economical. Georgia Adams had a ball with two wickets, two catches and a run out to her name as well.

One hand on the trophy - What an outing that is in the field for Trent Rockets Women. After opting to bowl first, they have bundled out Sunrisers Leeds Women for a paltry total of 91, which is the second-lowest first-innings total in a final, in the history of The Hundred, whether it be the Men's or Women's competition. Rockets are surely the favourites at the break.

OUT! LBW! But McCarthy has reviewed it. Well, she did hit it, but the ball hit the pad first. Three reds and the innings is done.

Samantha Bates to bowl out. 1/17 in 15 balls so far.

Cassidy McCarthy is the last batter in, replacing Cross.

Georgia Adams is back on. 1/6 in 10 balls so far.

Georgia Elwiss is back on. 0/8 in 10 balls so far.

Hannah Baker walks in next, at number 10, replacing her skipper Gibson.

The final 5 sets remain. Ashleigh Gardner returns. 0/17 in 10 balls so far.

A better Men's final? Let's hope so. Two strong teams are playing there too but this Women's final was a total grubber, lasting just 145 balls. The Rockets take a lap around the ground, thanking the crowd and they would hope that the Men follow it later in the night. Unfortunate for the Sunrisers, to have a final which they would like to forget asap. The mood is pretty jovial at Lord's because the crowd is anticipating a massive clash between the Rockets and the Super Giants. That game is scheduled to start at 5 pm GMT. Do hop into that matchcentre and catch all the action. ADIOS! TAKE CARE!

It went exactly the way we wanted - The victorious skipper of the champion team, Trent Rockets Women, ASHLEIGH GARDNER, starts by talking about the final, and says that it was one of those games of cricket, where it went exactly the way you wanted before the game. Goes on to say that there wasn't just one individual, but everyone contributed, like Gaz (Georgia Adams) did here, and they managed to break the back of the chase in the Powerplay. Ash also mentions that she tries to put the bad things behind her and move on, and feels that the team has been fantastic throughout. On being asked about any memorable occasion in the season, Gardner says that it is hard to pinpoint one memorable moment, but does go on to laud some like Sophie Luff, who came in and played a handy role in the middle order, and also talks about Sophia Dunkley, saying that she played a major role with the bat.

PLAYER OF THE FINAL - This award goes to Trent Rockets Women's GEORGIA ADAMS. The offie finished with figures of 2/9 in 15 balls, totally choking the Sunrisers. Calls this a great feeling. Goes onto the say that the team was amazing. and it was also an amazing game of cricket. Further says that she just loved to watch her mates go about their cricket and win the final. On the leadership experience within the group, Adams says that is the beauty of the squad. Details that there are so many natural leaders within the group, but at the same time, they are also happy to stand back and let Ashleigh Gardner lead. On Gardner, Georgia calls her faultless, adding that she was very calm and just let the others play their own game. On her brilliant fielding to run Jess Jonassen out, Adams says that sometimes, the ball can follow you like a magnet. Calls this a confidence game. Explains that when the confidence is high, you cannot seem to get out of the game. Shyly says that she is not a glamourous fielder but can throw herself around and feels lovely to be a part of a run out.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MVP) - The award goes to Annabel Sutherland. For the third straight season, the award has gone to an overseas player. The Aussie ended up with the most runs in the tournament - 315 at a strike rate of 152.91 and an average of 63. Additionally, with the ball, Sutherland picked up 11 wickets, at an economy of 7.19 and average of 20.81. Sutherland says that it was nice to be consistently contributing and she had a fun time with the girls out there, and goes on to applaud the Trent Rockets, saying they thoroughly deserved the win. Adds that it's all about enjoying the game and competing hard on the field. Annabel then shares a few words about the franchise, saying that Headingley is a great ground to play cricket, and the franchise has done a great job, lauding the work of head coach Adi Birell and Suzie Bates. On her favorite memory of the season, Sutherland says that the match against London Spirit was pretty memorable and overall, it was a good season for her and the team.

... THE PRESENTATION ...

Feels satisfying - That is the first thought of Trent Rockets Women's NAT SCIVER-BRUNT, as she comes up for a chat next. Adds that it feels amazing. Explains that throughout the competition, the Rockets have put on good performances. On their seamless campaign, Sciver-Brunt says that everyone understood the way the Rockets wanted to go about it. Adds that they had a few people in form as well. Understands that to go through a tournament with just one loss and keep on winning so many games in a row including the final is unique, and feels that the all-round combination and the form of the players made it happen. On her own personal contribution, Nat admits that she does want to contribute in every game but admits that it does help when the others contribute regularly. Ends by saying that she is just loving her time here.

There is clarity of role for everyone - One of the stars of the final, Trent Rockets Women's BETH MOONEY, is up for a chat. Mooney says that you want to play for the big teams, in the big finals, and credits the bowlers for the way they set things up and it was an easy win for them. On her own personal season, she says it wasn't a particularly great one but heading into the Final, she wanted to stay calm. Further adds that their director of cricket and the head coach know what they are doing, and there is a clarity of role for everyone.

... SOME INTERVIEWS ...

Clinical performance - It does help when you have players having experience of playing in finals. Georgia Adams played her 5th final of the Hundred, while in Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner and Nat Sciver-Brunt, there was a mountain of experience of playing finals in international cricket. Having won the toss, Ashleigh Gardner got everything going her way. Kim Garth set the tone early, with two wickets in two legal balls, and the others followed up. Even during the Sutherland-Deepti partnership, the Rockets kept choking the batters. Barring Georgia Elwiss, everyone bowled well, with as many as four bowlers picking up 2 wickets apiece. That shows what a team effort it was. And in the second innings, Mooney and in particular, Dunkley, made sure that they put their foot down in the Powerplay and closed the chase early.

Can we undo this day? That is what the defending champions would be thinking at the moment. On paper, they were always the second favourites but still, they also had a bit more momentum than the Rockets, given that Trent had not played for 5 days. However, more than the defeat it is the manner of the loss which will hurt or rather sink them. The batting let them down totally, with just 4 batters reaching double figures and 3 others not even getting a run in their account. They could never get things going and barring a brief stand of 32 between Annabel Sutherland and Deepti Sharma for the 4th wicket, there was barely any resistance. A lot was being relied on Phoebe Litchfield but her bad day meant that her side suffered. Coming to the second innings, the bowlers just did not have any sort of a cushion but still, tried their best. However, the onslaught from Sophia Dunkley simply did not allow the 2025 champions to make any sort of incision.

Nerves of steel - For the second time in the span of two months, Ashleigh Gardner has faced the last ball of the final and seen her team through at Lord's. In July, it was against England in the World Cup final while here, it is against the defending champions. Trent Rockets Women have absolutely bulldozed Sunrisers Leeds Women in this totally lopsided final, registering their 7th win on the bounce and also, their 4th successive win at Lord's. This also marks the maiden trophy for the Rockets, in their first ever appearance in a final. Sadly, for the Sunrisers, they suffer their second defeat in three finals.

but the match is almost done. This could well be the final set of the competition. Jess Jonassen returns. 0/9 in 5 balls so far.

Sutherland is continuing.

Skipper Ashleigh Gardner walks in next, at number 4, replacing Sciver-Brunt.