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London Spirit delivered a heart-stopping performance to snatch a dramatic last-ball win against Welsh Fire in The Hundred 2025 Women’s clash at Sophia Gardens, sealing a two-run victory that kept their 100% record intact and solidified their place atop the leaderboard.
London Spirit, after winning the toss, opted to bat first and posted a total of 124 from their 100 balls. Charli Knott was the linchpin of the Spirit’s innings, crafting a composed 47 off 33 balls in a knock that kept the scoreboard ticking even as wickets tumbled around her. The Welsh Fire bowling attack was spearheaded by Freya Davies (3/16) and Katie Levick (3/26), who picked up crucial wickets in clusters, threatening to restrict the defending champions to a below-par total.
Fire’s late collapse ignites Spirit’s comeback
Welsh Fire seemed well on course during the chase, with Sophia Dunkley (36 off 29), Hayley Matthews (26 off 24), and Jess Jonassen (29 off 24) keeping them ahead of the required rate. The hosts sat comfortably at 73/1, and with just 24 runs needed from the final 20 balls with eight wickets in hand, a home victory looked inevitable.
But the pendulum swung dramatically. Spirit’s bowlers, led by Grace Harris, tightened the screws with disciplined bowling at the death. Dunkley and Jonassen fell in quick succession, and pressure mounted as Fire stuttered with bat in hand.
Grace Harris delivers under pressure in last-ball thriller
The climax saw Welsh Fire needing three runs off the final ball after a frenetic last five deliveries. Harris held her nerve, delivering the defining final ball that resulted in a wicket, leaving Fire stranded at 122/5 — just two runs short of the target. The jubilant London Spirit celebrated wildly, with captain Charlie Dean and overseas star Harris combining to pull off the most unlikely of victories in front of a stunned Cardiff crowd.
Charli Knott earned the Meerkat Match Hero award for her all-round effort. “We stayed level as a group, knew we were always in with a chance, and Gracie just pulled off an incredible over at the end. We’re thrilled to get the win and keep the momentum going,” she said in the post-match presentation.
This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
