Sunrisers Leeds made a strong start to the new era of The Hundred women's competition, securing a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over MI London at The Oval. The visitors chased down their target with 31 balls to spare, following an impressive all-round bowling display that stifled MI London's innings.
Australian batter Phoebe Litchfield was the star with the bat for Sunrisers, crafting a fluent 43 runs from just 26 deliveries. Her compatriot Annabel Sutherland provided valuable support, remaining unbeaten on 30 from 23 balls to guide the team home. The Sunrisers' chase was clinical, demonstrating their batting depth and intent from the outset of the tournament.
Earlier, MI London struggled to build momentum after a promising start. Openers Hayley Matthews and Danni Wyatt-Hodge had put on 56 runs before India spinner Deepti Sharma claimed both their wickets, shifting the momentum in favour of Sunrisers. From that point, MI London's innings faltered, and they were ultimately restricted to 107-8 from their 100 balls. England all-rounder and Sunrisers captain Dani Gibson contributed with 2-17, while leg-spinner Hannah Baker also took 2-16.
Despite the emphatic win, there was a moment of concern for Sunrisers Leeds when experienced bowler Kate Cross suffered a shoulder injury. Cross had to be taken off the field by the physio after diving, though initial reports confirmed it was not a dislocation. She is now set to undergo scans to determine the full extent of the damage, which will be a worry for the team, especially for captain Dani Gibson, who was the most expensive women's player picked in the auction.
The opening fixture sets the tone for The Hundred, which continues on Wednesday with Southern Brave taking on Welsh Fire at Southampton. The women's match is scheduled for 14:45 BST, followed by the men's game at 18:30 BST, both available for viewers on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.