🏏 Match 3 Preview: Northern Superchargers vs Welsh Fire – Women’s The Hundred (7 August 2025, Headingley, Leeds)
🔍 Head-to-Head & Context
- Welsh Fire and Northern Superchargers had met previously 5 times, with Fire leading 5–3 (including an abandoned)
- Headingley conditions favor seam and swing early under cloud, before flattening later for batters; spinners may grip in second half
🏏 Predicted Playing XIs
Northern Superchargers Women
Phoebe Litchfield, Hollie Armitage (c), Annabel Sutherland, Alice Davidson-Richards, Bess Heath (w), Georgia Wareham, Lucy Higham, Linsey Smith, Kate Cross, Grace Potts, Grace Ballinger
Welsh Fire Women
Tammy Beaumont (c), Sophia Dunkley, Hayley Matthews, Jess Jonassen, Sarah Bryce (w), Shabnim Ismail, Freya Davies, Georgia Elwiss, Katie Levick, Emily Windsor, Beth Langston, Alex Griffiths, Georgia Davis, Charley Phillips
🌤️ Headingley Pitch & Conditions
- The Headingley wicket has shown significant bowling assistance this season, with scores rarely surpassing 130–140. Bowling first is widely seen as advantageous
- Early seam movement is expected, followed by grip for spinners as it flattens. Anything above 130 is competitive for the chasing side
- Overcast skies and English conditions will likely favor seamers initially; hence toss-winning captains may prefer to field first.
Expected Match Flow
- Northern Superchargers rely on power both with bat (Litchfield, Sutherland) and disciplined seam/spin (Smith/Armarrage).
- Welsh Fire depend on all-rounders Matthews and Jonassen, with support from Sophia Dunkley’s top-order hitting and Shabnim Ismail’s pace.
🎯 Fantasy XI Picks
Here’s a suggested Dream11-style Fantasy XI based on player form, all-round potential, and pitch conditions:
⭐ High-Impact Picks (Captain / Vice-Captain)
- Linsey Smith (NSC-W) – leading wicket-taker with great economy; will thrive early in seam conditions.
- Hayley Matthews (WEF-W) – dual-threat: high scoring plus wicket-taking form.
🎯 Batter Picks
- Phoebe Litchfield (NSC-W) – in strong hitting form; consistent top-order scorer.
- Annabel Sutherland (NSC-W) – all-round value, runs and wickets.
- Tammy Beaumont (WEF-W) – reliable opener, can anchor the innings under pressure.
🎾 All-Rounder Picks
- Jess Jonassen (WEF-W) – key contributor with both bat and ball.
- Alice Davidson‑Richards (NSC-W) – bowling all-rounder who can chip in with bat in middle overs.
🧤 Wicketkeeper
- Bess Heath (NSC-W) – dependable keeper-batter, likely in top-six.
🧊 Bolters / Value Picks
- Georgia Wareham (NSC-W) – leg-spinner who can extract turn and control middle overs.
- Sophia Dunkley (WEF-W) – aggressive batswoman who could turn game if she gets going.
- Grace Ballinger (NSC-W) or Freya Davies (WEF-W) – can be useful economy options.
