Deepti Sharma's all-round brilliance led London Spirit to a crucial women's Hundred win as they ended the hopes of the Manchester Originals at Emirates Old Trafford. The India star claimed 2 for 10 from 20 balls of offspin before hitting an unbeaten 34 off 23 to revive a chase of 128 which had fallen to 87 for 5 after 70.
Spirit won for the third time in six games, by five wickets with two balls to spare, and moved to six points - one off the top three. Originals lost for the fourth time in six and are bottom with three points.
After opting to bat, Originals' 127 for 6 included opener Emma Lamb's 39, Mignon du Preez's 31 and Sophie Ecclestone's unbeaten 32. Ecclestone cleared the ropes twice in the final seven balls.
Spin was clearly the most effective weapon on a used pitch, highlighted by Sharma. She made the initial breakthrough when Lizelle Lee was lbw sweeping for a seven-ball duck, leaving Originals 30 for 1 after 24.
Lee's opening partner Lamb had hit 17 off seamer Sophie Munro's five between the 16th and 20th balls.
Sharma returned to get du Preez brilliantly caught at deep midwicket by a diving Danielle Gibson, 86 for 4 after 75. But some late hitting from Ecclestone boosted the hosts to a very useful total. She lofted a Charlie Dean full toss over long-on and pulled Munro behind square for her sixes.
Spirit were forced on to the back foot just two balls into their chase when Tammy Beaumont edged England team-mate Kate Cross behind for a golden duck.
Heather Knight hit Lamb's offspin for back-to-back boundaries as the score moved to 24 for 1 after 25. But Alex Hartley's first ball, the 26th, brought the wicket of Naomi Dattani caught and bowled.
Knight and Deandra Dottin calmly reduced the target to 73 off 50 balls at 55 for 2, with Dottin having smashed Hartley for six over long-on.
Dottin swept two boundaries off Ecclestone as Spirit reached 70 for 2 after 59, needing 58 more. But their 53-run partnership was broken by Cross shortly afterwards as Dottin drove her to mid-off for 28 - leaving Spirit 77 for 3 after 64.
And that was the first of three wickets in seven balls, two going to Hartley. Knight, for 35, gave her another return catch two balls later before Gibson was lbw as the score fell to 87 for five after 70.
Originals were favourites at that stage. But Sharma had other ideas, taking back-to-back boundaries off Hartley and reducing the target to four off the last five from Natalie Brown.
Deepti Sharma
London Spirit (Women)
Manchester Originals (Women)
Spirit vs Originals
The Hundred Women's Competition
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