Gardner and King leave London Spirit in a spin

Australian spinners Ashleigh Gardner and Alana King led Trent Rockets to a much-needed 31-run Hundred win over London Spirit at Trent Bridge.

Gardner and King combined for six wickets as a star-studded Spirit line-up never threatened to chase down 5-158. 

Gardner, who took 12 wickets at this venue to guide Australia to victory in last year's women's Ashes Test match, said: "It was huge (win for us). It was probably the first game we put all three facets of the game together. 

"The openers did a fantastic job giving us the start that they did, that was the best we've been with the ball and we were pretty clean in the field. It was a pretty perfect performance."

Grace Scrivens struck 55 from 43 balls for the hosts, although she had to walk off the field in the second innings when she was struck in the face attempting a catch. 

It meant Rockets ended a three-game losing streak and was made all the more impressive as Nat Sciver-Brunt, the women's competition's leading run-scorer, had a comparatively quiet match with 21 from 12 deliveries. 

Scrivens, who hit nine fours, shared a 74-run opening stand with Bryony Smith that set the tone. 

Indian Deepti Sharma claimed the big wickets of Sciver-Brunt and Gardner, but Australian Heather Graham's unbeaten 22 from 12 balls ensured a fast finish. 

Spirit's chase was immediately undermined when Gardner removed Georgia Redmayne, another Aussie, and Cordelia Griffith from successive balls before King had former Australia captain Meg Lanning caught by Kirstie Gordon at mid-on. 

Gardner trapped Dani Gibson lbw and when England and Spirit skipper Heather Knight's sweep at King landed in the hands of Smith, after hitting 29 from 20, the game was up. 

Gardner and King both finished with identical figures of 3-23 from 20 balls as Spirit closed on 7 -127.

Aussies in The Hundred 2024

Women

Birmingham Phoenix: Ellyse Perry (A$76,000)

Manchester Originals: Beth Mooney (A$95,000), Kim Garth (replacement player)

London Spirit: Meg Lanning (A$95,000), Georgia Redmayne (A$33,000), Erin Burns (until late July)

Oval Invincibles: Amanda-Jade Wellington (A$57,000), Megan Schutt (replacement player), Laura Harris (until July 28)

Trent Rockets: Ashleigh Gardner (A$95,000), Alana King (A$76,000), Heather Graham (A$57,000)

Welsh Fire: Jess Jonassen (A$57,000)

Northern Superchargers: Annabel Sutherland (A$95,000), Phoebe Litchfield (A$95,000), Georgia Wareham (A$76,000)

Southern Brave: Lauren Cheatle (A$27,000), Charli Knott (until July 30)

Men

Birmingham Phoenix: Sean Abbott (A$95,000)

London Spirit: Nathan Ellis (A$191,000)

Oval Invincibles: Adam Zampa (A$191,000), Spencer Johnson (A$114,000)

Northern Superchargers: Matt Short (A$143,000), Daniel Sams (A$143,000)