In the 2024 edition of The Hundred Women's competition, Mady Villiers wowed fans with a breathtaking catch that dismissed Bryony Smith during the match between Oval Invincibles and Trent Rockets on Wednesday (August 14) at Trent Bridge in Nottingham.
Villiers, representing the Oval Invincibles, showcased her exceptional fielding skills early in the game. After the Invincibles opted to bowl first, Villiers set the tone with her remarkable effort. South African legend Marizanne Kapp delivered a half-volley, which opener Bryony Smith attempted to loft over the leg side for a boundary.
Although the shot seemed to have enough power to clear the infield, Villiers had other plans. She made a full-stretch dive to her left and snatched the ball with her wrong hand, completing a sensational one-handed catch. The effort, especially on her non-dominant side, made the catch even more impressive.
This early breakthrough rattled the Rockets, who struggled to regain momentum and were eventually restricted to 91/8 in their allotted 100 balls. Ash Gardner stood out as the only significant contributor, scoring 43 off 26 deliveries, with five fours and two sixes.
Kapp was outstanding with the ball, taking key wickets including Smith, Grace Scrivens, and Natasha Wraith, finishing with figures of 3/8 in 20 balls. Rachel Slater and Sophia Smale chipped in with two wickets each, while Villiers also claimed the crucial wicket of Gardner, preventing any further damage.
The Invincibles comfortably chased down the target with six balls to spare, although Villiers couldn’t contribute much with the bat, falling to Gardner. With this win, the Invincibles secured a playoff spot and will face London Spirit in the Eliminator on Saturday, August 17, at the Kennington Oval in London.
Meanwhile, Welsh Fire topped the group stage with 11 points and a net run rate of +0.334, thanks to five wins from their eight games.