Alice Davidson-Richards downs Invincibles to keep Superchargers unbeaten

Alice Davidson-Richards helped the Northern Superchargers maintain their winning start to the women's Hundred with a tigerish defence of 109 in a thriller against Oval Invincibles at Emerald Headingley.

Their 109 for 8 looked below par despite a sluggish pitch, with Davidson-Richards top-scoring with 42 off 30 balls having been inserted.

She was then brilliant in returning 2 for 17 from 20 balls with her pace-off seamers, defending 10 off the last five as the visitors finished on 105 for 4.

A bowler-dominated game went the hosts' way as they made it three wins from four and consigned the Invincibles to their first defeat in three.

The Invincibles only really fell behind during the second half of their chase, and Mady Villiers failed to hit the last ball for six as the Superchargers went top of the table.

Alice Capsey, aged 16, bowled her offspinners for the first time in the competition and returned two for nine from 20 balls, having opened the bowling for the visitors.

The more recognised offspin of Villiers and seam of Grace Gibbs and Tash Farrant also contributed two wickets apiece for the Invincibles.

The Superchargers slipped to 78 for 6 after 75 balls, though Davidson-Richards recovered with five fours.There were no wides or no-balls bowled by the Invincibles.

South African Laura Wolvaardt made 27 off 26 balls, sharing 38 for the third wicket with Davidson-Richards as they advanced from 28 for 2 after 30. Capsey had Wolvaardt caught behind and Bess Heath caught and bowled with the 58th and 60th balls to make it 66 for 4.

The teenager then opened the batting in the reply and was dropped on two at mid-on by Heath. Superchargers got the wicket late in the powerplay when Capsey miscued a catch to backward point off Davidson-Richards' seam for eight to make it 20 for 1 after 22 balls.

Georgia Adams hit back-to-back boundaries off Katie Levick shortly afterwards. But when she was caught at long-off against the same bowler for 26, the Superchargers had a sniff at 45 for 2 after 48.

Linsey Smith had England's Fran Wilson caught at mid-off - 65 for 3 after 64 - and Davidson-Richards was miserly as the target became a testing 40 off 30 balls with Sarah Bryce and captain Dane van Niekerk together. That target later became 23 off 10 before van Niekerk hit Smith for three successive boundaries to swing the pendulum.

Davidson-Richards, however, had Bryce caught at long-on for an innings high 29 with the penultimate ball to delight the 6,737 crowd. Liz Russell also contributed as she conceded only 14 runs in 20 balls.

The Invincibles were missing two of their three overseas players, with Marizanne Kapp and Shabnim Ismail out with injuries.