The Analysis: Northern Superchargers Women v Manchester Originals Woimen

NICK HOWSON reviews the stand-out talking points from derby day at Headingley as the Originals strolled to a comfortable win

Covid hits the women's Hundred

A competition that can ill-afford further withdrawals has been hit with further disruption.

Earlier on Thursday (August 12) Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana cut short their spells with Manchester Originals and finalists Southern Brave.

And prior to play beginning at Headingley we got the news two Northern Superchargers women players have tested positive for Covid-19, pending the result of a PCR test. Two others have been forced to self-isolate.

Laura Kimmince, Hollie Armitage, Ami Campbell and Phoebe Graham were those to miss out, with Rachel Slater left to the 12th player duties.

It is a slightly worrying development given the Superchargers men developed two positive cases in their camp.

The nature of the bio-secure bubbles and the double-headers has meant players from both squads have been travelling together, regularly seen in the stands cheering on their teammates in the afternoon or evening game. 

It has helped create the feeling that this is one team of two genders, rather than two separate entities. It is one of The Hundred's brightest selling points.

Adding to a point I've made in a write-up of the opening rounds of The Hundred for the upcoming edition of The Cricketer Magazine, I do have sympathy for fans trying to connect with these sides when their squads are a constant carousel.

Covid has of course created unique conditions but injury has also played a part in other areas of the tournament. Keeping a base of players together as the years go on is key to developing an emotional attachment and tribalism that will take the tournament onto a new level.

And that may not be more important than in the cricketing heartlands of Yorkshire and Lancashire, where gimmicks such as new kits and fancy cricket won't be enough.

The all-singing, all-dancing Jemimah Rodrigues

As the highest run-scorer in the Hundred, Jemimah Rodrigues has been among the tournament's star performers.

A haul of 248 runs at a strike rate of 154.03 tells its own story of a player in complete control.

Before play, she sat down for a rare interview with Mark Butcher with both holding acoustic guitars. It was clear what was coming.

The pair played a rendition of Maroon 5's Girls Like You and very nice it was too.

Rodrigues had previously played alongside teammate Laura Wolvaardt in one of the standout moments away from the middle, posting a video on Twitter of an original song penned by the South African.

Butcher's musical background extends to having released two albums but perhaps most memorably contributed a cover of Bob Dylan's 'The Times They Are a Changin' to soundtrack a Sky promo ahead of the 2019 men's Ashes.

It was somewhat inevitable that once she had been given the big build-up, Rodrigues failed to live up to it. A dozen balls in she came down to Hannah Jones, who changed her angle and India's finest was stumped by Eleanor Threlkeld.

Yorkshire v Lancashire (sort of) at last

Rain denied us in the Women's T20 competition at Harrogate in May and in the first Hundred meeting between these two sides in July. But finally, we got Yorkshire v Lancashire this summer, though this was no Roses match.

Of all the areas in the country occupied by a Hundred team, it feels as though the biggest challenge to convince the locals comes at Headingley and Old Trafford.

There are two of the larger fanbases in their midst, but that is no guarantee they'll be convinced by the flashy gimmicks.

Speaking to Yorkshire's Harry Brook before the tournament, he admitted to there being a degree of scepticism among the members regarding the new competition. But that probably only covers the men's competition, given what it might mean for the county game.

We'll never know how full the home of Yorkshire might have been for this women's match (the official attendance was 6,773), given it sat on a Thursday afternoon and was up against an England Test. But enough took advantage of the double-header to get a vibe for how the Superchargers performance was going down.

Locals will reward heart and effort with faith and understanding. But they had little to latch onto here. The Superchargers started with some woeful shots and poor running to slip to 16 for 4 after 19 balls.

An hour later they were cheering the approach of Wolvaardt who struck a much-needed 75 with plenty of intent.

In the chase, kind applause was quickly muted by moans and groans as the Superchargers conceded 50 in the powerplay, a record in the women's competition. That included Beth Langston and Katie Levick both going at more than two runs a ball in their respective opening sets of five.

But don't think these supporters don't respect endeavour. Bess Health almost pulled off the best catch this planet has ever seen and Wolvaardt did complete a tidy grab to get rid of Emma Lamb.

It'll take time, and the results might need to improve, but there is certainly no feeling the locals have made their minds up already.

^{Jemimah Rodrigues didn't have her best day at Headingley}

Maiten?

We're hardly crying out for more terminology in a format that is trying to attract new fans, but Kate Cross' display for the Originals deserves better than any of the clunky descriptions currently being thrown around.

Cross bowled back-to-back sets of five from different ends at the end of the powerplay, taking two wickets and conceding no runs to leave the Superchargers all at sea.

They ended up making 126 but in all honesty, they never recovered.

Credit to Cross for an inspired spell of bowling, which saw her mix things up and give the new batters a torrid time. She began with full, wide deliveries, the second of which Alice Davidson-Richards chipped to backward point aimlessly.

Two balls later she bowled a length ball which Heath nudged to midwicket. The second set of five to the dangerous Wolvaardt was as good a set as you're likely to see. Cross often bowled close to the stumps, restricting her opponent for room and benefit from some movement off the pitch.

It was no surprise that Wolvaardt's success came both when Cross removed herself from the attack and after she began playing out of her crease and attacking the lack of pace on the ball.