London Spirit beat Welsh Fire in low-scoring Lord’s clash

London Spirit won a low-scoring contest against Welsh Fire by three wickets to secure their first win of the men’s Hundred at Lord’s.

Liam Dawson and Nathan Ellis claimed three wickets apiece as Fire could manage just 94 for nine, with Dan Worrall setting the tone after his first 10 balls of the game were all dots.

Matt Henry claimed three quick wickets to give Fire hope, but Dan Lawrence kept a cool head in a nervy chase with a measured 29 which enabled Shimron Hetmyer (30 not out off 21) to steer the hosts home with 13 balls remaining.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore was unable to score off Worrall’s opening 10 balls and departed soon after when Andre Russell held a good catch running backwards off Olly Stone.

Worrall got his reward to remove Luke Wells, who hit the only two sixes of the innings, and Dawson bowled Joe Clarke as Jonny Bairstow could only watch on as he faced just two of the first 35 balls.

The England man got away a couple of boundaries when he finally got the strike but was bowled swiping against the line to give Ellis his first wicket.

Squeeze

From there Ellis and Dawson put on the squeeze, conceding just 26 from their 40 balls combined, as Fire limped to a score that was never likely to be enough.

The Welsh side needed early wickets and Henry provided them, prising out Michael Pepper, Ollie Pope and Adam Rossington to leave Spirit 25 for three off 28 balls.

Haris Rauf, who would later be on a hat-trick, had Ravi Bopara caught behind before Lawrence and Hetmyer settled home nerves in a 46-run stand.

After doing the heavy lifting Lawrence skied a catch off Rauf, who bowled Russell next ball, and Hetmyer rode his luck after being dropped while Bairstow missed a tough stumping.

The West Indian remained and crunched a six to finish the game and get Spirit off the mark.