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Suzie Bates, Marizanne Kapp take Oval Invincibles into the Hundred final

Suzie Bates gave Oval Invincibles a brisk start ECB via Getty Images

Oval Invincibles 163 for 2 (Bates 79*, Kapp 36*) beat Manchester Originals 131 for 6 (Lee 64) by 32 runs

Oval Invincibles qualified for the Women's Hundred final in style, racking up the highest score of this year's competition as they brushed Manchester Originals aside by 32 runs at Emirates Old Trafford.

Invincibles' score of 163 for 2 was powered by an unbeaten 79 from captain Suzie Bates, and they can now look forward to the showcase match at Lord's on Saturday against either the Southern Brave or Trent Rockets.

In reply, Originals never got close, with the defeat ending their slim chance of qualification for the latter stages of the competition, despite 64 from Lizelle Lee in what could be her last match for the team.

Seventeen-year-old Sophia Smale and Marizanne Kapp, who enjoyed a good day with bat and ball, were the pick of the bowlers, both finishing with two wickets as the Originals were restricted to 131 for 6 in a dominant display for the London-based side.

Knowing that a victory would guarantee them top spot and an automatic berth to the final, the Invincibles won the toss and chose to bat first, a decision justified by the fluent start provided by the experienced opening pairing of Bates and Lauren Winfield-Hill.

The pair had raced to 62 in just 43 balls when Winfield-Hill was caught by Erin Burns in the deep of Emma Lamb for 25 but New Zealander Bates was undeterred, bringing up an impressive fifty off 33 balls, before Alice Capsey was bowled by Sophie Ecclestone for 18 trying to keep the runs flowing.

That brought Kapp to the crease, returning to the team after missing the last two outings, and she and Bates played powerfully around the ground to elevate their team to an impressive 163 with an unbroken partnership of 67 from just 36 balls.

Bates' innings of 79 featured nine fours and two sixes, while Kapp's 36 contained five boundaries, including one maximum.

That total was just short of the overall record team total for the Women's Hundred - 166 set by Southern Brave last year - but Invincibles will take satisfaction from knowing that their victory, coupled with the Brave's shock defeat to Northern Superchargers earlier in the day means they will avoid having to play in Friday night's Eliminator at Brave's expense.

Originals had an academic target to chase the runs down in 72 balls for a spot in the play-offs, which seemed unlikely when Emma Lamb was bowled by Smale without scoring. Bates and Kapp then combined again, as Amy Satterthwaite was caught by the former off the latter's bowling for just two.

Lee's lone hand was set against the wickets that tumbled around her. Burns was bowled by Smale for five, Sophie Ecclestone was caught by Capsey off Kapp for one, and Daisy Mullan was run out for nine on her Hundred debut.

Lee reached her fifty off 34 balls before finally perishing for 64 off 41, caught on the boundary off Eva Gray, to a warm ovation from the appreciative home crowd.

Ami Campbell restored some pride in Originals' performance, striking a couple of boundaries in a run-a-ball 23, but it wasn't enough to save her side from elimination.

Originals 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st5L LeeEL Lamb
2nd3AE SatterthwaiteL Lee
3rd25EA BurnsL Lee
4th1L LeeS Ecclestone
5th29L LeeD Mullan
6th38L LeeA Campbell
7th30E ThrelkeldA Campbell