Abbott's Phoenix eliminated as Redmayne steers Spirit into final

Georgia Redmayne has cracked an unbeaten half-century to ensure her London Spirit beat London rivals Oval Invincibles to march into their first final since the competition's inception.

Spirit set up a women's Hundred final showdown against Jess Jonassen's Welsh Fire at Lord's following Saturday's eight-wicket Eliminator victory with nine balls remaining at The Oval.

The visitors won the toss and elected to bowl. Captain Lauren Winfield-Hill hit Danielle Gibson for three boundaries in the second five-ball set to take the Invincibles to 0-21 after 10 balls before Charlie Dean trapped fellow opener Paige Scholfield lbw for five.

The introduction of Sarah Glenn saw the back of Winfield-Hill (17), the Invincibles skipper slapping a return catch back to the England leg-spinner to make the score 2-37. 

At the halfway point of their innings, Invincibles had moved on to 54 for no further loss, the Spirit spinners bowling tightly with Dean, Glenn and Deepti Sharma finishing with the combined figures of 5-56 from 60 balls.

Gibson, who had previously dropped Alice Capsey twice, eventually removed her for 30 before Marizanne Kapp fell to Glenn for a run-a-ball 26. 

Dean then combined twice with Gibson in the deep to dismiss Mady Villiers (3) and Australian Laura Harris (16) to finish with figures of 3-24, while Gibson's full-length heroics to snare Villiers could prove to be one of the catches of the tournament. 

Eva Gray returned for the final five, dismissing Ryana MacDonald-Gay first ball and having Sophia Smale (1) stumped as the Invincibles closed their innings on 9-113. 

Chasing 114 to win, Queensland left-hander Redmayne crunched her 53 from 47 balls and was well supported by captain Heather Knight, who made a classy 36 not out.

Redmayne and opening partner Meg Lanning saw the Spirit to 0-33 after the Powerplay with both Aussie batters surviving tough chances to Harris and Villiers. 

Kapp returned to the attack to have Lanning caught behind for 22 and another Aussie star, Amanda-Jade Wellington, had Cordelia Griffith (1) stumped to leave the Spirit on 2-42 after 40 as Knight came to the crease. 

From there on, the Spirit cruised to their target, Redmayne and Knight sharing an unbroken stand of 74.

Fire and Brisbane Heat wicketkeeper Redmayne, 30, hailed it a "special" moment to reach the final. 

"It's really special. We came into this game in really good spirits," she said.

"Oval have probably got the best of us in the games we've played against them previously. 

"We knew if we did the simple things right that we've got the team to be able to win the game and get to a Lord's final at home which is going to be incredible." 

On her innings she added: "It's nice knowing what kind of intent you've got to go in with. 

"Sometimes when you're facing some really good bowling upfront, you can get caught up in that a bit, but it helps having kept (wicket) for a hundred balls beforehand."

In the men's Eliminator later that evening, Sean Abbott's (1-32) Birmingham Phoenix fell to Southern Brave in a Super Five after both side's finished their 100-ball innings tied on 126.

Abbott was not out on one at the end of regulation, unable to get the two required for victory from Akeal Hosein's final ball of the match.

Jofra Archer then dismissed Liam Livingstone with his first delivery of the five-ball tiebreaker as the Phoenix only mustered seven runs, which the Brave's Chris Jordan (10no off 3) saw off comfortably with a ball to spare to book their place in Sunday's final against Adam Zampa's Oval Invincibles.

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)

Trent Rockets: Chris Green (replacement player)

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