Adil Rashid spins Northern Superchargers to brink of qualification in The Hundred

Adil Rashid was the stand-out performer for the hosts as he took 3-16 as part of a bowling performance that restricted Spirit to just 111-8 from their 100 balls.

The England leg-spinner has troubled batters throughout the competition and on Tuesday he removed Matt Critchley, Shimron Hetmyer and Andre Russell across 15 balls in the middle of the innings to knock the stuffing out of a Spirit batting effort.

Opener Michael Pepper had already headed back to the pavilion – caught terrifically by Mitchell Santner – as had Keaton Jennings, who burned brightly for his 12-ball 30 and exited having words with Reece Topley, the bowler who dismissed him.

Liam Dawson has been the visitors’ leading wicket-taker and leading run-scorer and once again he shouldered the burden of trying to keep his side in the game.

Dawson’s 27 from 19 alongside veteran Ravi Bopara’s 31 took Spirit into triple figures but at the interval, the smart money was on the hosts.

As it was, their chase was to be limited by the rain, but Superchargers openers Graham Clark (26) and Matt Short (25) had done enough to ensure they were ahead of DLS when the game was called off – they finished with 64 for one off 44 balls.

For Spirit, it was a seventh loss from eight games, while the Superchargers will now hope either Welsh Fire or Manchester Originals can do them a favour across the last two days of the competition’s group stages.

The Leeds-based side seek to make the knockout stages of The Hundred this time around, which would be notable progression from their last-placed finish in 2023.

Rashid was pleased Northern Superchargers managed to get in the runs they needed before bad weather halted the match.

He said: “We’re fortunate we got the runs in time as well, because the rain came 10 balls after that.

“I think we’ve got a very good squad, good batters – match-winners all the way through.

“We’ve got a bit of a waiting game tomorrow and Thursday, but hopefully one of those two teams do lose and we’re good. Today, I put in a nice performance, taking three wickets.”