Ryana MacDonald-Gay took four wickets as Manchester Super Giants bowled London Spirit out for 80 and cantered to victory in the opening match of the 2026 women's Hundred at Lord's.

The Super Giants chased down their target with 41 balls to spare — a statement win on the opening day of the competition. For the uninitiated, the Hundred is cricket's 100-ball-per-side format, where each team faces 100 deliveries in a single innings, with the aim of scoring as many runs as possible. Forty-one balls left means Manchester needed fewer than 60 of their 100 balls to finish the job. BBC Sport

The match took place at Lord's Cricket Ground on Thursday 23 July 2026, with the women's fixture scheduled for a 3:00pm start. The Hundred

London Spirit never recovered from early damage. MacDonald-Gay, bowling with control and bite, ripped through the Spirit batting order to claim four wickets and leave the home side skittled for 80 runs — a modest total in any format, but particularly lean in the Hundred, where 120 to 130 is often considered par (an average, competitive score).

Chasing 81 to win, Manchester made light work of it. They crossed the line with 41 deliveries unused, turning what should have been a contest into a rout.

What makes this stand out is how one bowler tilted the entire match. In a format designed for batters — short, fast, high-scoring — MacDonald-Gay's four-wicket haul was the decisive act. Spirit's line-up featured retained spinner Charlie Dean and pace-bowling direct signing Mahika Gaur, both confirmed as part of London's squad back in January. ECB Manchester's own bowling stocks included the retained Sophie Ecclestone, one of England's premier spinners. ECB

On this day, though, MacDonald-Gay was the difference-maker.

Even England football manager Thomas Tuchel was among the spectators at Lord's, taking in the opening fixture of the 2026 Hundred season. BBC Sport

The men's fixture between London Spirit and Manchester Super Giants followed later the same evening at Lord's, scheduled for a 6:30pm start. The Hundred

For Manchester Super Giants, this was the perfect opener: a commanding bowling display, a clinical chase, and early momentum in a short, sharp competition where every match counts. For London Spirit, the season begins with questions to answer and a heavy home defeat to absorb.