Aussie women launch England's Hundred in brutal fashion
Harris hit a competition record-equalling six sixes in her 42-ball 89 not out, but was nearly upstaged by her former Australian captain Lanning, who hit five of them before being dismissed for 85 off 51 balls.
Her departure sealed London Spirit's victory over capital rivals Oval Invincibles by 17 runs.
The match was the first half of a double-header at Lords to kick-off the controversial competition, in which both sides receive 100 balls bowled in 'sets' of five, with the men, including Spirit's David Warner, following.
You've been treated at Lord's Cricket Ground to a Grace Harris show! 🍿#TheHundred pic.twitter.com/mOb8cCL6Ot
— The Hundred (@thehundred) August 5, 2025
It was a stunning opening with a competition record 15 sixes in all.
Harris led the defending champions to 5-176, the second highest score in the competition's history.
The Queenslander was brutal on former Australia teammate Amanda Jade-Wellington, who went for 38 off her 15 balls - but she did have Harris dropped on 22.
The other Australians in Spirit's team fared less well. Georgia Redmayne, opening the innings, struggled to a six-ball duck. Charli Knott, recruited late to replace the unavailable Indian star Deepti Sharma, made one off four.
Harris put on 100 with Englishwoman Cordelia Griffith (50 off 29), a team record, in 52 balls.
"I loved it out there," she said. "When you have a wicket like this, you want to cash in as a batter."
On the secret to her clean hitting she suggested "genetics maybe?" before focussing on good prep, technique and an unconventional diet for an athlete.
"Three gym sessions a week. Your handspeed as well. Your feet don't have to move well but a still base and you can time balls for six with your hands.
"A few burgers in there. I have been living on dumplings since I have been over in England and it seems to be working! No Harris is a small human being, so I will take it."📹 Treat yourself to a Meg Lanning 6️⃣!#TheHundred pic.twitter.com/WXpUeImTbO
— The Hundred (@thehundred) August 5, 2025
"She is very powerful and makes it look easy," said Lanning of Harris. "Fair play to her, she was too good.
"They set a great total and we were a bit behind. I couldn't get going early on. Once I found some tempo, I had some momentum going."
True enough, prior to being out Lanning went 6,4,4,6 and looked about to mastermind a heist over the team she played for last season.
There are 16 Australians in the women's competition in all, with all but one of the eight sides having an Aussie.
This is the last season solely under the control of the England and Wales Cricket Board with large chunks of most teams sold to private owners, half of them Indian Premier League clubs.
This has raised $A1 billion for the sport in England, though that hasn't quelled criticism from traditionalists who fear it threatens the county structure and annexes the key summer month of August.
However, besides the cash The Hundred has succeeded in its aim of attracting a new audience - this midweek afternoon women's match drew 15,640 to Lord's.
Australian officials, pondering the future of the Big Bash League, will have taken note.
AUSTRALIAN WOMEN IN THE HUNDRED
Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Georgia Voll (Birmingham Phoenix), Grace Harris, Georgia Redmayne, Charli Knott (London Spirit), Beth Mooney (Manchester Originals), Phoebe Litchfield, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham (Northern Superchargers), Amanda-Jade Wellington, Meg Lanning (Oval Invincibles), Ash Gardner, Alana King, Heather Graham (Trent Rockets), Jess Jonassen (Welsh Fire).
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
22 minutes ago
- USA Today
Son Heung-min unveiled at LAFC press event; blockbuster signing reportedly sets MLS record
LOS ANGELES — It's always Sonny in Los Angeles. Los Angeles Football Club officially unveiled Son Heung-min, their reportedly record-breaking signing, at a press conference at BMO Stadium on Wednesday, Aug. 6. "I'm here to win, I will perform. I will definitley show you something exciting," Son said. Son, 33, is considered to be arguably the greatest Asian soccer player ever, having appeared for South Korea 134 times (scoring 51 goals). In a decade with Tottenham, Son scored 173 goals and added 101 assists, captaining the London-based club to its first trophy in 17 years as Spurs won the 2024-25 Europa League final in May. The now-former Tottenham star noted that LAFC was not originally his first choice when moving from the north London side, but was convinced by LAFC co-president and general manager John Thorrington. "I honestly and openly share what this club is about," Thorrington said at the press conference. "I ask: 'Does this match with your ambition?' and in this case ... it has." Son is one of the highest profile signings in the club's – and arguably league – history following the footsteps of Carlos Vela, Gareth Bale and Olivier Giroux into the Hollywood spotlight. Thorrington said the move was nine years in the making. "What I call the walking paradox that is Sonny, that is this unbelievably charismatic guy but matched with his humility that he walks around with, and his patience, that's what we aspire to be," Thorrington said. The fee LAFC shelled out to seal his move to MLS is to be the largest in league history, according to multiple reports. While MLS clubs have rarely been willing to share exact transfer fees, GiveMeSport reported Aug. 5 that the transfer will be will surpass Emmanuel Latte Lath's move to Atlanta United this past winter for $22 million. ESPN and The Athletic reported ahead of the announcement that the fee would be at least $26 million, which would mark a new transfer fee record for the league. Thorrington declined to disclose the terms of the contract when asked. MLS AT 30: What's next after remarkable growth Debut timetable to be determined Son did not provide a timetable on when he will join the team on the field, saying that he will work with the coaching staff to get on the pitch as soon as possible. "I came here to play soccer and I'm ready to play, but there is some preparation work to be done," Son said. LAFC stands in sixth place in the Western Conference on 36 points with 12 games remaining in MLS play. The team's next three league games are on the road at the Chicago Fire, New England Revolution and FC Dallas. If the club intends to hold the debut until their return to Expo Park, it could be made in a Sunday showcase against San Diego FC on Aug. 31. A 2-1 win over UANL Tigres – with a heavily rotated side and Son looking on from a suite – on Tuesday, Aug. 5 gave LAFC a long-shot chance at progressing in Leagues Cup. Korean-American community buzzes about Son signing Rumors of the Black and Gold signing the South Korean superstar sent a buzz through the Korean-American community as news on the progression of the deal were reported out, principally by Tom Bogert of GiveMeSport and international transfer maven Fabrizio Romano. "Son Heung-min's transfer to LAFC presents a rare and powerful opportunity to shift that attention toward LAFC and the MLS," Kyeongjun Kim, a writer with The Korean Daily, the largest Korean-language media outlet in the U.S., told USA TODAY in an email ahead of Wednesday's press conference. "Already, many Korean fans are posting on social media asking how to buy LAFC season tickets or inquiring about the match schedule." Photos published by Agance France-Presse show fans lining up at Los Angeles International Airport at the rumored time of arrival for Son, with one sign reading "Welcome to LA" in Korean. Daniel Park, a native of South Korea who was already in the country on a business trip but took time to visit BMO Stadium just before the press conference, described Son as a celebrity who transcended sports. Beyond his success on the field, Son is a behemoth in the advertising world. Adidas, Burberry, Calvin Klein and Tumi have all named Son a brand ambassador and launched major ad campaigns around him, while he is one of just five soccer players to have a custom character "skin" in one of the most popular video games in the world, Fortnite. "Son's move to the LAFC is as exciting — if not moreso — than when Chan-ho Park and Hyun-jin Ryu joined the Dodgers," Kim wrote. Son is not the first South Korean signing for the club, which had defender Kim Moon-hwan from 2021-2022. Contributing: Jason Anderson, USA TODAY Sports
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Alan Shearer claims Liverpool has questions to answer with transfer advice
Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer believes that Liverpool has glaring issues that must be resolved defensively, amid its pursuit of striker Alexander Isak. Liverpool has heavily pursued Isak this summer, and Newcastle rejected a bid worth $146 million from the Premier League champions. Liverpool has already spent $106 million on Hugo Ekitike this transfer window, a player Newcastle intended to sign. It's been an exciting summer window for Liverpool, as Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and Milos Kerkez have all been acquired alongside Ekitike. However, despite being linked with Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, Shearer is concerned about Liverpool's depth in the center-back role. READ MORE: Darwin Nunez agreement could spark transfer merry-go-round as Man Utd makes $98M offer READ MORE: Liverpool transfer news LIVE: Isak misses training, Barcola move 'considered', Nunez exit looms Liverpool's starting center-back partnership is among the best in world soccer. Virgil van Dijk is still world-class at age 34, and Ibrahima Konate continues to improve with each season following his arrival in 2021. Behind them, though, are Joe Gomez and Rhys Williams. Gomez has made 137 Premier League appearances for Liverpool across 10 seasons, but has never held down a consistent role. Williams is only 24, but all nine of his league appearances came during an injury-ridden 2020-21 season. Since then, he has been sent on loan five times, but he did make 33 appearances for Morecambe last season in League Two. While the offensive targets are exciting for Liverpool, Shearer believes the club should prioritize a center-back. "Looking at Liverpool, there are still a few questions defensively, and I'd guess that center-half is still a position that they want to fill, certainly with added numbers because they are light in that position," he told Betfair. "It wouldn't surprise me if they're in the market for another centre-half. There'll be even more money spent by the big clubs come the end of the transfer window." Liverpool remains keen on breaking the British transfer record to sign Isak, but for Newcastle to grant his release, the club needs to sign a replacement. However, the window has been disastrous for the club. When Newcastle signed Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest for $74 million on July 10, optimism was high. Since then, Newcastle has seen pursuits of Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford, Ipswich striker Liam Delap, and Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo fall through. All three players opted for moves elsewhere in England, and Liverpool hijacked Newcastle's pursuit of Ekitike. After Newcastle finally saw a bid accepted for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, Manchester United turned his head with a late approach. If Newcastle cannot sign a new forward, then it's likely that Isak will remain at the club next season. However, given his desire to leave the club, which has forced him to train alone, head coach Eddie Howe must resolve the situation before the start of next season. "The biggest thing they have to do is, somehow, sort the Isak situation out - and if they can't get anyone in, I guess that means he isn't going anywhere," Shearer added. "Eddie will have to be at his persuasive best to try and turn Isak's head around because it has been turned in terms of him wanting to go to Liverpool. "On the proviso that he does want to go and Eddie can't turn his head, then you get the money. But prior to that, you have to get people in to replace him." Newcastle also released back-up striker Callum Wilson, meaning 22-year-old William Osula is the only center-forward on the roster besides Isak. Even if Newcastle does sign a new striker before the end of the window, Shearer is concerned about the club's inability to attract new players. "Whether that has anything to do with Newcastle's lack of business and the number of players that have said no to them, I don't know. It's not a good look."
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Adam Aznou — An Everton Wonderkid?
Well, Everton are getting frighteningly close to the big season kickoff, stumbling as they are towards a Monday 18th August meeting against newly-promoted Leeds United, with a threadbare squad. Technically, numbers are now up to a theoretically healthy seeming 22 players – just three short of a maximum 25-man Premier League squad – although anyone who's been watching Everton struggle to field a competitive team during the club's semi-embarrassing US summer tour will know better. It's worth noting that this conjectural squad contains third-string goalkeeper Harry Tyrer, the perennially-injured Seamus Coleman, the surely-he-won't-be-here come September 1st Nathan Patterson, along with a trio who'd be better served gaining experience away from the Toffees — in Youssef Chermiti, Harrison Armstrong and Tim Iroegbunam. Given that Everton seem nowhere near to signing a midfielder at present, the last-mentioned player may end up being retained. Incidentally, both 18-year-old midfielder Armstrong and exciting new signing Adam Aznou are exempt from the league's registration rules. Speaking of whom, let's take a look at the club's fourth addition this summer, the young left back signed from Bayern Munich for €9m at the end of last week. La Masia Graduate The Barcelona native started out at local youth team Damm, before joining the famous La Masia academy at age 12. Whilst at the Barcelona academy, Aznou, who is of Moroccan heritage, played for the Spanish under-16 setup, but his time in Catalonia would soon come to an end. By the age of 16 he was attracting attention from a number of major European outfits, including Bayer Leverkusen, Juventus, Benfica and Dortmund, before accepting an offer to join Bundesliga juggernauts Bayern Munich, in July 2022. In Bavaria The youngster seems to have adapted to his new environment relatively seamlessly, though his first year in Germany was disrupted with a hip injury which extended into the summer of 2023. He did feature for Bayern's youth side, as well as making a number of appearances in the Spanish U17 setup. During this period, as are many developing players, he was deployed in various positions. In the following season, he made it to the first team bench on several occasions, nailed down a position at left back and switched international allegiance to Morocco. Most notably, he announced himself as a player to watch by starring in the UEFA Youth League — and catching the eye of Everton's scouts in the process. Last season was a pivotal one in Aznou's nascent career. He was moved to the Bayern first team in the autumn, but found minutes hard to come by — behind Alphonso Davies and the experienced Portuguese international Raphaël Guerreiro. Still, he earned a senior cap for Morocco in September, but was then surprisingly loaned out to bottom-placed La Liga outfit Real Valladolid at the start of February. A Spanish Ordeal If the verdict on the 18-year-old was that he needed to work on the defensive side of his game, in addition to earning minutes in senior football at a high level, then both boxes were ticked during his loan spell in Spain. The club majority-owned by legendary Brazilian striker Ronaldo Nazário were abject, ensuring that Aznou would have to spend a lot of time without the ball. The young left back featured 13 times, starting ten and losing all but one, with the team conceding 29 goals en route. If that appears unflattering, consider that in the three games Aznou didn't play in, Valladolid shipped an alarming 14! With the Spanish side roundly relegated at the end of the season, the defender rejoined his parent club, with Bayern heading to the USA to take part in the expanded FIFA Club World Cup over the summer, but saw just eight minutes of action in the team's initial match — a 10-0 massacre of part-timers Auckland City. With Davies out, having sustained an ACL tear in March, it appears that being overlooked in favour of the veteran Guerreiro pushed Aznou into asking for a move — and the Blues were quick to act. Analysis Aznou is listed at 5'10, though could be a little taller, and is quite lightly built, which is something which panics a lot of Premier League managers; David Moyes has already referenced the need for Adam to add a little weight to his frame. Personally, I think this is often overstated and the full back looks fairly sturdy in challenges. He only turned 19 lat month, and will naturally get stronger, without adding artificial bulk. In La Liga, Aznou won an impressive 68.8% of his aerial duels and racked up good defensive numbers — which is partly due to Valladolid being on the back foot much of the time. The defender's natural strengths are in his technical attributes, speed, agility and quick thinking. An modern full back, his touch is excellent and he's able to burst forward quickly whilst remaining in control of the ball. He's left-footed, but is comfortable with his right, which aids in him making fluid changes in direction when driving up the pitch. Aznou is well able to hug the touchline and put in well-delivered crosses, or to take up intelligent positions inside, sometimes popping up in attacking midfield areas, which makes him both versatile and unpredictable. His defending – not something which he'd had to do a lot of – was given a genuine field test during his spell with Valladolid and came on leaps and bounds. He is barely 19 and so has plenty of room to develop in this area, but he showed tenacity, winning 52.8% of his ground duels and stuck to his duties gamely, demonstrating that he's not just some elite academy product, but has grit and character about him. Aznou provided one of Valladolid's few attacking outlets, being able to break forward on occasion on the counter, an ability which will serve him well at Everton. Evaluation Signing a player with this amount of potential for a very reasonable fee is a genuine coup for the Blues. Aznou's pedigree, in going through the youth systems of both Barcelona and Bayern, is impeccable and his ceiling as is very high indeed. He ticks all the boxes required of a full back in the modern game — except experience in senior football, which is no surprise, given his age. In order to develop into the player he can become he needs regular game time, something that was denied him in Germany. That the Spaniard pushed for a move away from the Bundesliga titans at barely 19 in search of this, speaks highly to his desire to reach his full potential. I believe that Aznou is the kind of player who, under normal circumstances, rapidly moves out of a club like Everton's reach, and that they were able to take advantage of this small window of opportunity to sign him is without doubt a great piece of business. For now, the steady Vitaly Mykolenko will be the Blues' starting left back, but it is imperative to integrate Aznou as much and as quickly as possible. He's not a developmental player, he's a first team talent and, given enough opportunities, should displace the Ukrainian as a starter during the campaign. A full international for a very decent side, Aznou has the talent to transform Everton's left side, combining well with the likes of Iliman Ndiaye, and any other good players who the club may sign before the end of the transfer window. Making predictions is a fool's game, but I'm going to take a chance and claim that this could be the club's sleeper signing of the summer. I look forward to seeing him in action. Statistics provided by and
