4:25pm So, a bit of a damp squib (both literally and metaphorically). Over in Cardiff, though, the prospect of play in the Men's Hundred is much brighter. Do hop over as Ekanth brings to you all the action from that game between the Manchester Originals and the Welsh Fire. Until next time, this is me (Shashwat) saying goodbye on behalf of Ranjith and everyone else at ESPNcricinfo. Take care!
4:20pm It's official, folks. The rain has won, and the match officials have decided to pull the plug on this contest. The second Women's Hundred game today that has been abandoned, and both teams will get a point each for all the waiting.
4:16pm If you were getting your hopes up for play to start, well, I might have some bad news. The cover that had been rolled up is back on. No official pitch/ground inspection times have come through yet, and time is running out.
4:09pm One of the covers is being rolled up but it is still drizzling....
3:55pm Nick Knight, on broadcast, reckons it might take an hour at least for the mop-up, whenever the rain stops. Seems like we might have another race against time on our hands...
3:38pm The covers are still on at the moment. The latest this game can start is by 5:12pm. Does not look very promising, unfortunately.
2:55pm Matt Roller is about three miles away from Lord's, and says that it is absolutely hammering down at the moment. The toss and the start of play has also been officially delayed (apologies for stating the obvious).
2:33pm The latest update from Lord's is that....it is raining. There are puddles forming too and the ground staff will get to work once the rain relents. Looks like it could be one of those stop-start days. 2:07pm The Invincibles have, for this season, stuck with most of the core that has already delivered them plenty of success. Dan van Niekerk, Marizanne Kapp and Suzie Bates are genuine match-winners, as is 18-year-old Alice Capsey, now an England regular and a swashbuckling top-order batter.
With Shabnim Ismail having departed for the Welsh Fire, and Tash Farrant battling injuries, they might be a tad short on the pace-bowling front, although in Kapp, they have a seamer capable of papering over every crack that might come up.
It might be too early to label them as the team to beat, but considering most of the cast that has won them twin titles is still around, they might be tough to get past this time as well. The London Spirit, though, might look at this as the ideal opportunity to change that narrative, and strengthen their own credentials for the season ahead.
After a fourth-placed group-stage finish in the inaugural edition, they stuttered and stumbled their way to seventh in 2022. This time, they have a power-packed batting unit to bank upon, spearheaded by skipper Heather Knight, New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr, belligerent wicket-keeper India batter Richa Ghosh and Grace Harris, their high-profile acquisition at the draft.
Their bowling looks quite stacked too, with Charlie Dean, Sarah Glenn and Kerr handling the spin-bowling department, and Danielle Gibson, Lauren Filer and Tara Norris adding pace to the attack.
Star quality, thus, will not be a problem tonight, and that means plenty of entertainment. What could be a problem, though, is the weather. Interruptions could be the norm for the next few hours, and we hope that this game does not meet the same fate as the fixture between the Welsh Fire and the Manchester Originals at Cardiff earlier in the day.
2pm Hello and welcome to ESPNcricinfo's live coverage of the Women's Hundred, where every ball matters (doesn't it always?). Yesterday, the Southern Brave, two-time finalists, got their campaign off to the perfect start, registering a commanding 27-run victory. Today, the Oval Invincibles, two-time winners (and defending champions, of course) have a chance to lay down a marker of their own against the London Spirit.