SunRisers Leeds begin season with victory
SunRisers Leeds Women opened their Hundred campaign with a seven-wicket victory over MI London at The Kia Oval. This match marked a new era for the competition, featuring two teams that have undergone name changes following significant overseas investment. SunRisers Leeds, who were the defending champions under their previous name, Northern Superchargers, successfully chased down MI London’s total.
MI London, formerly known as Oval Invincibles, were restricted to 107-8. Their innings saw an initial partnership of 57 runs between Hayley Matthews, who scored 33, and Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who contributed 29. However, once this opening stand was broken, SunRisers Leeds gained control.
The chase for SunRisers Leeds was led by Australian opener Phoebe Litchfield, who scored 43 runs off 26 deliveries. She recovered from an earlier incident where she was involved in running out her compatriot Jess Jonassen, who made 14, after attempting a single that was not viable. Another Australian player, Annabel Sutherland, added an unbeaten 30 runs off 23 balls, while captain Dani Gibson hit the winning boundary, finishing on 12 not out from 7 deliveries. The visitors reached their target with 31 balls remaining.
Injury concern for Kate Cross
Despite the victory, SunRisers Leeds faced a setback with a shoulder injury to Kate Cross. The incident occurred shortly after she had taken a notable running catch at long-on to dismiss Wyatt-Hodge. Cross landed awkwardly while fielding at extra-cover and left the field in pain. While reports indicate her shoulder was not dislocated, she is scheduled to undergo scans to assess the extent of the injury.
Captain Dani Gibson also made a significant contribution with the ball, taking two wickets for 17 runs. Her wickets included that of Australia’s Nicola Carey, who scored 5, bowled by a cross-seamer. Gibson was the most expensive English player in the Hundred auction earlier in the year, with SunRisers Leeds securing her for £190k.
Other key dismissals for MI London included Wyatt-Hodge, West Indies skipper Matthews, and New Zealand captain Melie Kerr, who scored 13. These wickets largely fell to spin bowlers. Deepti Sharma claimed two wickets for 20 runs, accounting for both Wyatt-Hodge and Matthews, with the latter being dismissed by a sharp caught-and-bowled effort from the India all-rounder. Young English leg-spinner Hannah Baker also contributed with two wickets for 16 runs, including the dismissal of Kerr.
Surrey players feature in The Hundred
The Hundred, now in its sixth year, features numerous players from Surrey across various teams. For MI London, The Kia Oval remains home to several Surrey players, including Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Kira Chathli, Alice Davidson-Richards, Alice Monaghan, Kalea Moore, and Alexa Stonehouse, who spent the season on loan at Warwickshire. Kate Coppack, a recent signing for Surrey who will join the club ahead of the 2027 season, is also playing for MI London this summer.
Other Surrey players are distributed among different Hundred franchises. Sam Curran leads MI London’s men’s team, which includes Tom Curran, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Ollie Sykes, and Jason Roy. Birmingham Phoenix features all-rounder Alice Capsey and wicket-keeper batter Jemima Spence, alongside Laurie Evans. London Spirit has Matt Fisher and Jamie Overton, who will be based at Lord’s. Gus Atkinson, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, and Paige Scholfield are playing for Manchester Super Giants, where they link up with Maitlan Brown.
Southern Brave includes Surrey players Jamie Smith, Chris Jordan, Dan Worrall, Tilly Corteen-Coleman, and Phoebe Franklin. SunRisers Leeds women’s team has Surrey skipper Bryony Smith, while their men’s squad includes Dan Lawrence, Tom Lawes, and Reece Topley. Sophia Dunley from Surrey and England is with Trent Rockets, and all-rounder Jordan Clark represents Welsh Fire.
The next fixtures in the Hundred are scheduled for Wednesday, with a double-header at the Utilita Bowl in Southampton, featuring Southern Brave against Welsh Fire.
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Source: skysports.com
Adam Rutherford is a Senior Football Correspondent at News-UK. He spent his early career filing match reports across the North West. He focuses on the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from Manchester Metropolitan University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in Manchester, he coaches a youth team and watches grassroots football. “Every transfer window hides a dozen real stories.”
