Jess Jonassen Impresses with Record Six-Hitting in The Hundred

In a remarkable display of power hitting, Jess Jonassen has etched her name in the record books as the first woman to hit four sixes in a single five-ball over in The Hundred, England's leading white-ball tournament. Jonassen not only dazzled with her batting, scoring 44 runs off just 17 balls, but also showcased her bowling prowess by taking three wickets, helping the struggling Welsh Fire secure their inaugural win of the season and simultaneously crunching the Birmingham Phoenix's playoff aspirations.

Ellyse Perry, another Australian star, made a comeback of sorts, scoring her first half-century of the tournament with a solid 55 off 43 balls. However, her efforts fell dramatically short of matching Jonassen's extraordinary performance, who proved to be a significant force for the Fire with her all-around skills.

The turning point for Jonassen came with just 10 balls remaining in the Fire's innings when she took on spinner Hannah Baker's delivery. After starting with a single off the first ball from the set, Jonassen launched the subsequent four deliveries for sixes, almost getting caught on the boundary during the initial two attempts. Her record-breaking 25 runs off Baker is now a notable achievement in women’s cricket, and Jonassen expressed her surprise at accomplishing such a feat.

Reflecting on her performance, Jonassen noted the mix of luck and skill involved, as she aimed to take aggressive control in the final moments of the game. Together with Hayley Matthews, who scored an unbeaten 34, they propelled the Fire to a total of 150 runs after Sophia Dunkley's sturdy half-century.

While Perry's team needed a win to remain competitive, Jonassen’s dismiss of fellow Australian, Georgia Voll, was a critical moment of the match. Despite the Phoenix faltering to the bottom of the standings, Fire captain Tammy Beaumont praised Jonassen for her incredible contributions in recent matches, highlighting her powerful hitting and effective bowling.