McGrath, Wellington inspire Brave to Hundred final

Tahlia McGrath has produced a match-winning all-round display to send Southern Brave to the women's Hundred final – but only after the Australian had been left with jangling nerves in a dramatic Eliminator finale.

McGrath had smacked a 29-ball 31 and taken two key wickets, including a glorious, instinctive catch off her own bowling, to guide Brave to the verge of what appeared a sure-fire triumph over the Trent Rockets at the Rose Bowl on Friday.

But asked to bowl the 'death' set of five final deliveries with Rockets still needing 24 for an unlikely victory, McGrath got hit for 2,6,6 and 6 off the first four by big-hitting England star Nat Sciver, leaving only four needed off her last delivery.

McGrath pitched it up into the slot again, but this time got away with it as Sciver could only scuff the ball straight to mid-off for a single as the Rockets finished on 7-132.

Sciver looked distraught, having fallen just short with her dazzling 72no off 36 balls as Brave celebrated a nail-biting two-run win that sets up a repeat of the 2021 final against Oval Invincibles in Saturday's tournament showdown at Lord's.

"My heart rate's about 600 at the moment – but happy to get the win, happy to contribute, and really happy to get the opportunity to play at Lord's tomorrow," said a relieved McGrath, who won the 'match hero' award as the game's outstanding performer.

Image Id: 21AFC06672AA4E84AC7A75D848EBFBE7 Image Caption: McGrath hit 31 and took two wickets to lead Brave to victory against the Rockets // Getty

"It was very tough (to bowl at Sciver). I had no idea where to bowl. I pretty much only had to execute one ball – and I stuffed up three. But I got there in the end."

McGrath hadn't had the greatest tournament with the bat since the Commonwealth Games final last month, where she tested positive for COVID-19 but was still allowed to play in Australia's gold medal triumph over India.

But she made amends with a big performance in Southampton, including five boundaries in her important contribution to Brave's 6-134.

Then, with the ball, she was also excellent – until that last nervy five-ball set which cost 21 runs – having taking 2-15 off her previous 15 balls.

The highlight was her remarkable one-handed catch to get rid of South African Mignon du Preez, plucking a fierce straight drive out of the air and looking astonished when the ball stuck.

"I thought it was a bump ball, so didn't really celebrate – and then everyone got round me, so I just went with it," said the Adelaide allrounder.

"But it was a bit of a fluke really."

McGrath's Australian teammate Amanda-Jade Wellington will also be out to avenge Brave's 2021 final loss to the Invincibles in Saturday's decider, after she took 1-30 off her 20 balls.

She bowled her fellow Aussie spinner Alana King with a beauty, taking her tournament-leading tally of wickets in the competition to 15.

There could only be disappointment for King, whose excellence in the competition was highlighted by the Hundred's first-ever hat-trick that she conjured up against Manchester Originals last month, and Rockets' Australian captain Elyse Villani.

The Victorian opener Villani struck 24 off 25 balls before McGrath had her caught, trying to scoop over short fine leg.

Australians at The Hundred 2022

Women

Birmingham Phoenix: Sophie Molineux, Ellyse Perry

London Spirit: Beth Mooney, Megan Schutt

Northern Superchargers: Heather Graham, Alyssa Healy

Southern Brave: Tahlia McGrath, Molly Strano, Amanda-Jade Wellington

Trent Rockets: Alana King, Elyse Villani

Welsh Fire: Nicola Carey, Rachael Haynes, Annabel Sutherland

Men

Birmingham Phoenix: Kane Richardson, Matthew Wade, Tanveer Sangha

London Spirit: Nathan Ellis, Josh Inglis, Ben McDermott

Manchester Originals: Ashton Turner

Oval Invincibles: Hilton Cartwright

Southern Brave: Tim David

Trent Rockets: Daniel Sams