The Hundred women’s competition, Headingley
Welsh Fire 121-8 (100 balls): Kemp 72* (45); Sharma 3-13
Sunrisers Leeds 122-4 (74 balls): Litchfield 55 (25); Smale 2-23
Sunrisers Leeds won six wickets
Sunrisers Leeds kept their hopes of making The Hundred knockout phase alive with a six-wicket win over Welsh Fire, which simultaneously eliminated their opponents.
Set 122 for victory, Sunrisers opener Phoebe Litchfield delivered a stellar knock in the must-win encounter as she made a superb 55 off 25 balls to break the back of the chase.
Her side remain fourth in the standings but moved on to 16 points – two behind third-placed Manchester Super Giants.
The Super Giants host Sunrisers at Old Trafford on Tuesday with the victor progressing to the Eliminator.
However, Fire’s bid to finish in the top three was extinguished by the result, with one match of their group stage campaign left.
Litchfield hit shots all round the 360 – cutting, pulling, driving and ramping a Fire attack which struggled to contain the Australian’s skill and aggression.
The opening batter’s knock featured six fours and three sixes and when she was eventually dismissed – caught via a leading edge off Georgia Wareham’s bowling – Sunrisers required 31 off 48 balls.
Annabel Sutherland’s 28 off 18 balls had Sunrisers within striking distance, before Dani Gibson and Jess Jonassen got them over the line with a mammoth 26 balls remaining.
“Our team is gaining momentum and things are starting to fall into place,” said Litchfield, who was named the player of the match.
“I’ve just walked out and tried to keep it simple by watching the ball. Our bowlers set things up and I’ve had the freedom to play pressure free.”
Earlier, Fire had been restricted to 121-8 after a disciplined bowling performance by the Sunrisers.
Deepti Sharma was the pick of the home side’s attack with 3-13, while fellow spinner Hannah Baker took 2-15.
That Fire were able to post anything like a competitive target was largely due to an aggressive knock from Freya Kemp.
The England all-rounder used her leavers to good effect as she whacked an unbeaten 72 off 45 balls, including six fours and three sixes.
There was an element of fortune, though, as Kemp benefited from some poor fielding from the Sunrisers.
She was dropped three times – twice by Sutherland and once by Cassidy McCarthy – as only she and Georgia Voll, with 16 off 18 balls, made double figures for Fire.