Northern Superchargers’ David Willey knocks Spirit out of London

England and Spirit captain Eoin Morgan had a ringside seat as the Yorkshire all-rounder plundered 81 not out from 45 balls in the Superchargers’ 155-3.

Then, ball in hand Willey claimed two early scalps en route to figures of two for nine as London Spirit managed only 92-9 in reply, with Ben Raine taking 3-20 and Mujeeb Ur-Rahman two for six from his full allocation.

It meant London Spirit failed to win any of their four home games in the tournament.

Willey said: “I’d had a quiet start to the competition and I needed to contribute something, so to to do it her today, contribute to the team and chalk up another important win was good.

“I’ve not batted much in the middle for a month or so. i got a couple of early boundaries that got me going and took the pressure off me really and allowed me to play what was in front of me.

Brooky (Harry Brook) and Dane (Villas) played well at the other end. I got the big score but it was a great team performance.

“To be honest it wasn’t my best bowling set. A couple slipped out. these balls are a bit different to the traditional white Kookaburra, but if you get a couple of wickets in this format when the opposition are chasing a big score it makes it really hard work.

“I’m always hopeful (of selection for T20 World Cup). If oyu’re not hopeful I think it’s time to hang your boots up.

“Obviously I missed out on the last World Cup, so I’d love to play and if the opportunity comes along that would be great, I’d love to be involved.

“Probably the worst thing that could happen to me in my cricket career has already happened, so if the opportunity comes I’ll absolutely love it, if it doesn’t it’s already happened to me once. so it wouldn’t be the end of the world.”

Chris Lynn set the tempo with three early boundaries before being stumped by Adam Rossington and Adam Lyth’s poor form continued when he edged Blake Cullen.

Those successes merely served to bring in Willey up the order at number four and what followed was a masterclass in ball striking as he plundered six sixes, one monstrous hit appearing to land on the Tavern Stand roof.

He shared a stand of 62 in 35 balls with Harry Brook, who topped the Hundred averages before the game.

Brook fell to Mason Crane (1-19 from 20) but his dismissal mattered little as Willey and Dane Vilas added 65 from the last 28 balls. And Willey was not finished there, having Spirit duo Rossington and Josh Inglis caught inside his opening set of 10 to leave the hosts five for two.

Debutant Luis Reece hit Adil Rashid for two sixes in his 24 before becoming the first of Raine’s three victims.

And by the time Morgan (27) lofted Rashid, who took 2-24, into the hands of Matthew Potts the game was long gone.

Earlier in the Women’s Hundred, Deandra Dottin’s belligerent 50 saw London Spirit beat Northern Superchargers by seven wickets.

Tammy Beaumont made 42 as the hosts chased down 128 for victory despite 2-15 for the excellent Linsey Smith.

Dottin’s heroics meant Jemimah Rodrigues’s third half century of the tournament in the Superchargers’ score of 127-5 ultimately proved in vain.