The Hundred 2023: Welsh Fire’s Tammy Beaumont hits first century in women’s competition- QHN

The Hundred women’s competition, Sophia Gardens
Welsh Fire 181-3 (100 balls): Beaumont 118 (61)
Trent Rockets 140-5 (100 balls): B Smith 48 (21); Davies 2-19
Welsh Fire win by 41 runs
Scorecard. Table

Tammy Beaumont crashed the first century in The Hundred women’s competition with a spectacular 118 in Welsh Fire’s win against Trent Rockets.

Her score is the best in either the men’s or women’s Hundred and the Fire’s 181-3 is also a women’s record.

Rockets made a decent fist of the chase but ended on 140-5 to lose by 41 runs.

“I don’t know what just happened to be honest,” Fire captain Beaumont told Sky Sports.

“I just had an absolute day out. It was great to put on a show for the fans.”

The knock comes amid an extraordinary summer of form for Beaumont, who hit the first double century by an England women’s player in the Ashes Test in June

She has not played a T20 for England since January 2022, having been dropped for more attacking batters, but reached her fifty from 25 balls and three figures from 52.

The 32-year-old right-hander played brilliantly through the off side, including striking four fours in succession off debutant seamer Cassidy McCarthy, while also hitting off-spinner Bryony Smith over long-on for her two sixes.

After putting on 81 with Sophia Dunkley and exactly 100 with Sarah Bryce, who made 31 not out, Beaumont was finally caught off the penultimate ball at deep square leg by Joanne Gardner, who put down a straightforward chance to remove Beaumont in the same position earlier on.

“It is amazing,” said Beaumont, who was congratulated by every Rockets player and given a standing ovation by the Cardiff crowd.

“I am not thinking about individual records when I’m out there, I am thinking about doing the best for the team. It was a good innings.”

England begin a three-match T20 series against Sri Lanka on 31 August.

When asked about regaining her place, Beaumont said: “If I feel like I can keep learning and keep improving, I don’t give up.

“It’s nice to perform but at the same time, England have got some amazing batters in T20 cricket and if I’m counted as one of them that’s pretty special.”

What else do you need to know?

• Rockets opener Lizelle Lee hit the second ball of the chase for six and the next two for four in an impressive start.
• The former South Africa international put on 78 from 44 balls with Bryony Smith for the first wicket, giving the Rockets hope of an unlikely victory, but the pursuit fell away after Smith was brilliantly caught in the deep by the diving Sophia Dunkley for 48 from 21.
• Dunkley then took a sharp return catch to dismiss England team-mate Nat Sciver-Brunt for 10.
• Welsh Fire are now top of the Hundred standings after six games, a point above Southern Brave and Northern Superchargers, who have played a game fewer.
• Rockets are struggling in sixth, while bottom-placed Birmingham Phoenix cannot reach the knockout stages as they are unable to finish in the top three.

‘You can’t bowl to her in that mood’ – what they said

Match hero Tammy Beaumont, speaking to Sky Sports: “It was a pretty good wicket, obviously, but I am glad we batted first. For a while I thought they were in the chase. Our bowlers did really well.

“There was quite strong breeze towards the river Taff. Anything at that end I just tried to get under it and into the wind.

“I said if any team that can pull it off it is the Rockets. We had to bowl well. Freya Davies, at the end that was really difficult to defend, was absolutely outstanding.”

England and Northern Superchargers bowler Kate Cross on Sky Sports: “You can’t bowl to Tammy when she’s in that sort of mood.

“She has just put her name firmly in the hat for the England T20 squad.”

You can watch Hundred matches on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer every Wednesday and Saturday throughout the competition, alongside both finals on Sunday, 27 August. More details.