Teenager Jemimah Rodrigues scored an unbeaten 112 and helped Yorkshire Diamonds to snatch the last thriller against Southern Vipers in the last edition of KIA Super League in 2019. However, despite the defeat of Vipers, remained on the 3rd position to qualify for the semi.
Diamonds were required to chase down the target of 185, inside 16 overs to take the bonus point. But as they lost both of their openers inside powerplay, it dented their hope. Besides, Alyssa Healy, the destructive opener for Australia too was sent back by Natasha Farrant on 22.
Jemimah Rodrigues, playing her first WSL, came out to bat in the 1st over. She hit her first boundary to Wyatt and was witnessing the relentless hitting by Healy from the other end.
As Healy fell in the 4th over, Jemimah took the responsibility to score runs while Hollie Armitage supported her. She hit back to back boundaries to Danielle Wyatt and three boundaries to one of the best all-rounders in world cricket, Suzie Bates, picking 16 runs from the 9th over. She repeatedly hit Bates through the covers to show her class. Another good over, which fetched them 12 runs took the Yorkshire total to 98 at the end of 10th over.
87 was needed from 60 balls and Jemimah was batting on 43 of 21 balls. She had already hit 8 boundaries. She cut off-spinner Charlotte Dean through backward of point to bring up her half-century in just 26 balls. She was brilliant on the offside throughout her innings as she drove the fuller balls along the carpet and cut anything that was short. Rodrigues and Armitage added 90 runs in 54 balls which brought back Yorkshire Diamonds in the match.
Yorkshire lost three quick wickets in a couple of over which, halted the run flow. In the last 5 overs, 53 runs were required with 5 wickets in hand. Fi Morris who was economical in her previous two overs was brought back into the attack. Jemimah danced down the track, and her first ball was despatched to the extra cover boundary. Two balls later Fi reived the same treatment but through a different region. Fi came round the wicket for her last ball of the over, and Jemimah Rodrigues again came down the track to hit her for the first six over long-off.
Now 36 needed from 24.
In the next two overs, 19 runs were made, and that included two more boundaries by Jemimah. A boundary off a no-ball from Farrant and a single that followed took Rodrigues to 98. In the 4th ball of the 19th over, Lauren Bell delivered a wide slower ball and Rodrigues pushed it towards point to complete the fastest KSL century.
Her century was crafted by 16 fours and a six took only 58 balls. It was also the first century by any Yorkshire Diamonds player in Women Super League. She also became the 2nd Indian after Smriti Mandhana to hit women super league hundred and the highest individual score by an Indian.
Jemimah Rodrigues, completed the formalities for Yorkshire when she sent Bates through square leg region and Lauren Smith took a single in the last ball f the over to win the match by 4 wickets. Earlier useful contributions of Suzie Bates, Danielle Wyatt, and Tammy Beaumont helped Viper to reach a respectable total of 184. Alice Davidson-Richards picked up three wickets for Diamonds.
Brief Score:
Yorkshire Diamonds 185/6 (Jemimah Rodrigues 112*, Natasha Farrant 2/27) beat Southern Vipers 184/4 (Suzie Bates 47, Alice Davidson-Richards 3/21) by 4 wickets.
