By Huzaifa Yousafzai from Lords
London Spirit win their first game of the season as they inched across the line in a three wicket victory at home against the Welsh Fire.
Liam Dawson and Nathan Ellis both claimed three wickets in the first innings to give the Spirit a target of just 95 runs for victory.
They made tough work of the chase as overseas pacers Matt Henry and Haris Rauf took three wickets each to keep the Welsh Fire marginally in the game before Hetmyer’s late hitting ended the match with 13 balls to spare.
Having won the toss and chosen to bowl first, London Spirit had the start of dreams when Daniel Worrall bowled 10 consecutive dot balls against Tom Kohler-Cadmore to open the Fire’s innings.
Following a painful 4 runs from 12 deliveries, Kohler-Cadmore was eventually dismissed by Olly Stone before Luke Wells holed out to deep midwicket following a swift 23 off 8 balls as Worrall was finally rewarded for his excellence.
The pressure built from the seamers’ opening burst continued to bear fruit for the Spirit as Joe Clarke was bowled by Liam Dawson for just 5 off 11 balls.
Nathan Ellis was introduced into the attack and struck immediately when he knocked back Jonny Bairstow’s middle stump to put the fire in the backseat on 54 for 5 midway through their innings.
Dawson cleaned up opposition skipper Tom Abell alongside David Payne before Glen Phillips edged behind to wicketkeeper Adam Rossington as the visitors slumped further.
With Matt Henry finding mid-on and David Willey caught in the deep, Welsh Fire finished their innings on 94-9 as regular wickets from the home side resulted in a relatively small total to chase.
Michael Pepper was the first to fall in the second innings as his lofted drive against Henry skewed off the outside half of the bat and landed in the hands of Mason Crane at deep point.
Fresh off a test series against the West Indies, Ollie Pope played a sumptuous straight drive followed by an outrageous reverse scoop for six, before chipping one to midwicket just balls later to give Henry his second wicket.
Rossington attempted to sweep Henry but could only succeed in picking out Wells at the deep square leg before the introduction of Pakistani speedster Haris Rauf, yielded the wicket of Ravi Bopara who was caught behind by Bairstow.
Rauf had Spirit captain Dan Lawrence caught by Phillips at mid-wicket from a fast short ball and then dismantled the stumps of Andre Russell on the very next delivery.
Despite only needing 6 from 18 balls, the Spirit continued to loose wickets with Dawson the next to fall, his sweep shot was top edged to short fine leg giving Crane his first wicket of the game.
The home side eventually crossed the line when Hetmyer hooked Rauf into the stands with the West Indian finishing unbeaten on 30 as the Spirit won with 13 balls to spare and three wickets in hand.
