The Hundred Women's 2024: Smriti Mandhana's brilliant direct hit finds Bryony Smith short of crease

Indian women's team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana made headlines with a spectacular direct hit run-out during the ongoing Hundred Women's tournament.

The incident took place on Saturday at Southampton when Southern Brave Women was taking on Trent Rockets Women. The left-hand batter has been under scrutiny due to her recent batting performances, making her fielding skills all the more significant.

The moment of brilliance came off the very first ball of Trent Rockets' innings. Southern Brave's Lauren Cheatle delivered a low full toss around off stump to Bryony Smith, hit the ball towards mid-on, and attempted a quick single. Little did she know that Mandhana was positioned there.

With lightning-fast reflexes, Mandhana swooped in on the ball, and in one motion, threw it directly at the stumps. The perfect throw caught Smith off guard, leaving her short of her crease at the non-striker's end. 

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This run-out was particularly significant given Mandhana's recent batting form. In her first three innings of the tournament, she had scored only 15, 0, and 2 runs respectively. Her fielding excellence, therefore, came as a timely reminder of her all-round capabilities and value to the team.

Southern Brave, sitting at the bottom of the table with just one win, are desperate for a strong performance to keep their knockout hopes alive. Trent Rockets, on the other hand, are looking to improve their mid-table position.