Bryony Smith heralded the unpredictable nature of The Hundred after narrowly failing to steer her side to victory despite being tasked with defending five from a set of ten consecutive balls at the death. 

South African Marizanne Kapp bludgeoned a four off the penultimate ball to see her side to victory chasing 112 after Smith, who plays her regional cricket for South East Stars, had taken two wickets for the concession of three runs in eight deliveries. 

“It just shows you never know what's gonna happen in this short format,” the off-spinner said.

“As a bowling side you are always still in it with one or two quick wickets.

“Then when they need five off the last couple of sets, no one really expects you to defend it. It helps that I know that team very well back from home so I knew what their plans were but just couldn’t quite get there.”

The Rockets’ target, helped by Nat Sciver’s 59 not out off 48 balls, appeared below par, particularly with contributions of 41 off 32 from Suzie Bates, and 24 off 18 from Alice Capsey.

But after 10 consecutive deliveries from Alana King went for no runs, the home side nearly pulled off a remarkable comeback.

“It must be the first ever set of ten to go for no runs; it just shows what class we have as a unit,” Smith said. 

“For an overseas player to come over and do that, it’s fantastic.”

Having been inserted, the Rockets made a positive start, Smith the only casualty of the powerplay, leaving them 27 for one.

Indeed on 51 at halfway and eight wickets in hand, the hosts looked in a position to surpass the score of 119 set at Old Trafford.

The measly Eva Gray, who had earlier seen Sciver dropped, bowled South African Mignon du Preez to shift the momentum back, however. 

And, despite Sciver’s presence, the Rockets failed to accelerate therefrom. 

The home side lost three wickets in four balls as King and Marie Kelly fell to the 85th and 86th balls, before Katherine Brunt was run out when Capsey dropped a caught and bowled chance onto the stumps. 

The Rockets never recovered from the blip, as Kapp finished with figures of 1-18 and the impressive Gray, 2-16.

In reply, Invincibles captain Bates swept Sciver for six and found the boundary with ease, to leave her side well ahead at 33 for one from the powerplay.

The leg-spin of King and Sarah Glenn could not stop the tide, Capsey extending the rate with a six down the ground of Glenn before Bates repeated the feat. 

At 70 for one at halfway, the Invincibles were cruising. That all changed when Capsey fell, caught by Brunt on the boundary. Bates was next to go, dismissed by Glenn four balls later, to give the Rockets a sniff.

The next set of 10 bowled by King conceded zero runs bringing huge roars from the Trent Bridge crowd and left the Invincibles needing 33 from the final 30.

Some timely boundaries from Kapp gave the Invincibles just five needed from the final 10. But the game turned again, as Smith’s magic threatened an unlikely win before Kapp struck another boundary to finish the game.