London Spirit edged previous Welsh Hearth in a rematch of the 2024 closing as they claimed an exciting two-run win off the final ball at Sophia Gardens.
With seven wanted from the final 5 balls and three from the ultimate ball in Hearth’s pursuit of 125, Australia’s Grace Harris held her nerve as Georgia Elwiss was brilliantly caught by Spirit skipper Charlie Dean at mid-off.
Hearth had been in command of their chase at 101-2, with England opener Sophia Dunkley putting 36 and Australia’s Jess Jonassen making 29.
However Dunkley’s dismissal with 19 balls remaining gifted Spirit momentum and Hearth stuttered, with Dean’s gamble with part-timer Harris to shut out the sport proving to be a masterstroke.
It was the second girls’s match of the day to be received by two runs off the ultimate ball, with Manchester Originals earlier hanging on to beat Oval Invincibles by the identical margin.
Spirit stay unbeaten after two matches as they give the impression of being to defend their title, whereas it’s a morale-sapping defeat for Hearth as they continue to be winless.
Hearth’s bowlers began brilliantly as Spirit slipped to 85-7 after selecting to bat, however Australia all-rounder Charli Knott added a vital 47 from 33 balls as they pushed on to 124 all out.
Kira Chathli and Georgia Redmayne added 34 for the primary wicket earlier than Hearth leg-spinner Katie Levick took two wickets in two balls amid a collapse of 4 wickets for only one run.
Levick completed with 3-26, whereas former England seamer Freya Davies additionally starred with 3-16.
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