The Hundred: Jemimah Rodrigues scores second consecutive fifty

Indian batter Jemimah Rodrigues scored her second consecutive fifty in the Hundred as the Northern Superchargers beat the Trent Rockets by 28 runs on Monday. Opening the batting for Superchargers, Rodrigues scored 60 off 41 balls. Her innings, which included 10 boundaries, took the Superchargers to a commanding total of 149 for 7. This is the highest score by a team in the women’s league in The Hundred. Australian pacer Sammy-Jo Johnson picked 4 wickets for the Rockets.

Rodrigues and England’s Lauren Winfield-Hill put together 64 runs for the opening wicket. The match was played at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, the venue for the first Test between the England and India men’s team that will be played from August 4.

Yet it might have been a different story had the Rockets reviewed after Rodrigues, facing her first ball of the match, survived a strong lbw appeal from England’s Katherine Brunt.

The Superchargers then restricted the Rockets to just 122 for 7 off the stipulated 100 balls. Katherine Brunt, who is known for her pace bowling, top-scored for the Rockets. She came in to bat at number four and remained unbeaten on 43.

Only two days earlier the 20-year-old Rodrigues had hit a sparkling 92 not out in the Superchargers’ six-wicket win over the Welsh Fire at Headingley.

The Hundred, a new 100 balls per side format, features eight newly created teams, all with men’s and women’s XIs.

Many within English cricket fear it could ‘cannibalise’ existing domestic competitions within the men’s 18 first-class county set-up, but the England and Wales Cricket Board are convinced it is the best way to attract a new audience to the sport and boost the women’s game.

Earlier on Monday, Trents Rockets head coach Andy Flower and two support staff members tested positive for COVID-19. Rockets player Steven Mullaney has also been withdrawn from the next game against Northern Superchargers after he was found to be in close contact of the infected.