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Manchester Originals captured their maiden victory of The Hundred Women’s 2025 in dramatic style, edging Oval Invincibles by just two runs in a final-ball thriller at the Kia Oval on Saturday, August 9. The win was orchestrated by captain Beth Mooney, whose sparkling 70 off 45 balls proved decisive.
Beth Mooney anchors Manchester Originals’ innings
Sent in to bat, the Originals quickly recovered from early nerves, with Beth Mooney anchoring the innings superbly. She attacked from the outset, peppering the boundary and rotating strike efficiently. Her contribution—her fourth fifty in The Hundred—helped the Originals post a competitive 139/6 from their 100 balls, ably supported by Kathryn Bryce (24) and late acceleration from Alice Monaghan (10 not out).
Oval Invincibles’ Marizanne Kapp led the bowling effort with figures of 2 for 22, but only Phoebe Franklin and Tash Farrant were able to grab additional breakthroughs as Mooney dictated terms in the middle.
Oval Invincibles’ intense chase and the last-ball drama
The Invincibles responded aggressively, with openers Lauren Winfield-Hill and Meg Lanning racing to 42 in the powerplay. Lanning (56 off 42) looked set to pull off a chase, building on a strong partnership with Winfield-Hill (33). Crucial wickets—including Sophie Ecclestone removing Alice Capsey during a tense middle phase—allowed the Originals to claw back control.
With the equation boiling down to 26 needed from the last 12 balls, Paige Scholfield briefly reignited Invincibles’ hopes, and Kapp found herself at the crease with four runs needed off the final delivery. However, Deandra Dottin held her nerve, restricting Kapp to a single as Invincibles fell heartbreakingly short at 137/3.
Player of the Match
Mooney’s knock and her composure under pressure earned her the match hero award. She highlighted the contributions of her opening partner Bryce and the key moments created by Manchester’s bowlers in the closing stages.
“You can’t really get too high or too low in this format. It can change pretty quickly. But I was really pleased that Bryce came out and hit the ball like she did. She’s an excellent player and can match it with the best in the world – so to see a take on Kapp like that was awesome,” stated Mooney. “I thought they bowled well up front; the ball was doing enough to make you second-guess yourself, but when I’m at my best, I’m not really thinking about it and hopefully can hit some out of the middle, and there are a few more in me for the rest of the tournament.”
