In a thrilling encounter at Lord’s, the Oval Invincibles and London Spirit played out a dramatic tie in front of a packed crowd of 17,810. The match was marked by exceptional performances from overseas stars Marizanne Kapp and Deepti Sharma.
Kapp, the South African all-rounder, starred for the Invincibles with a brilliant 4 for 11 and a quickfire 47. Her bowling prowess was on full display as she dismissed Meg Lanning, Cordelia Griffith, Georgia Redmayne, and Heather Knight. With the bat, she played a crucial role in the Invincibles’ chase, smashing a 32-ball 47.
Deepti, the Indian all-rounder, was equally impressive for the Spirit. She took 3 for 18 with her economical off-spin, including the key wickets of Alice Capsey, Paige Scholfield, and Mady Villiers. She also contributed a valuable 44 runs with the bat, anchoring the Spirit’s innings.
The match was a see-saw affair, with both teams trading blows throughout. The Invincibles looked in control after Kapp’s early wickets, but Deepti’s recovery innings kept the Spirit in the game. In the chase, Kapp’s knock gave the Invincibles hope, but Deepti’s bowling and some smart fielding from the Spirit kept them in the hunt.
The final over was a nail-biting affair. With the Invincibles needing two runs from the final ball, Ryana MacDonald-Gay and Jo Gardner attempted a match-winning two. However, a brilliant run-out by Charlie Dean denied them victory.
The tie was a testament to the skill and determination of both teams. Kapp and Deepti were the standout performers, but the contributions of other players, such as Cordelia Griffith, Georgia Redmayne, and Eva Gray for the Spirit, and Alice Capsey, Sarah Glenn, and Amanda-Jade Wellington for the Invincibles, were also crucial.
