Meg Lanning and Grace Harris belt sixes in London showdown to open The Hundred at Lord's

The fifth season of England's Hundred competition has been launched with a blizzard of sixes, mostly hit by Australians Grace Harris and Meg Lanning.

Harris hit a competition-record-equalling six sixes in her 42-ball 89 not out, but was nearly upstaged by former Australian captain Lanning, who hit five of them before being dismissed for 85 off 51 balls.

Her departure sealed London Spirit's victory over capital rivals Oval Invincibles by 17 runs.

The match was the first half of a double-header at Lords to kick off the competition, in which both sides receive 100 balls bowled in "sets" of five.

Grace Harris equalled a tournament record with six sixes. (Getty Images: Andy Kearns)

The men's game followed, with David Warner's Spirit thumped after Warner scored just nine as his team was bowled out for 80 and the Invincibles reached the target just four wickets down.

It was a stunning opening to the women's tournament, with a competition record 15 sixes in all.

Harris led the defending champions to 5-176, the second highest score in the competition's history.

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The Queenslander was brutal on former Australia teammate Amanda Jade-Wellington, who went for 38 off her 15 balls — but she did have Harris dropped on 22.

The other Australians in Spirit's team fared less well. Georgia Redmayne, opening the innings, struggled to a six-ball duck. Charli Knott, recruited late to replace the unavailable Indian star Deepti Sharma, made one off four.

Harris put on 100 with Englishwoman Cordelia Griffith (50 off 29), a team record, in 52 balls.

"I loved it out there. When you have a wicket like this, you want to cash in as a batter," Harris said.

On the secret to her clean hitting she suggested "genetics maybe?" before focusing on good preparation, technique and an unconventional diet for an athlete.

"Three gym sessions a week. Your hand speed as well. Your feet don't have to move well but a still base and you can time balls for six with your hands," she said.

"A few burgers in there. I have been living on dumplings since I have been over in England and it seems to be working. No Harris is a small human being, so I will take it."

Lanning said her former national teammate, who famously once cleared the rope in the WBBL with a broken bat, "makes it look easy".

"Fair play to her, she was too good," Lanning said.

"They set a great total and we were a bit behind. I couldn't get going early on. Once I found some tempo, I had some momentum going."

True enough, prior to being out, Lanning went 6, 4, 4, 6 and looked about to mastermind a heist over the team she played for last season.

Australian women in The Hundred Birmingham Phoenix: Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Georgia Voll

Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Georgia Voll London Spirit: Grace Harris, Georgia Redmayne, Charli Knott

Grace Harris, Georgia Redmayne, Charli Knott Manchester Originals: Beth Mooney

Beth Mooney Northern Superchargers: Phoebe Litchfield, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham

Phoebe Litchfield, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham Oval Invincibles: Amanda-Jade Wellington, Meg Lanning

Amanda-Jade Wellington, Meg Lanning Trent Rockets: Ash Gardner, Alana King, Heather Graham

Ash Gardner, Alana King, Heather Graham Welsh Fire: Jess Jonassen

There are 16 Australians in the women's competition in all, with only one of the eight sides without an Australian.

This is the last season solely under the control of the England and Wales Cricket Board, with large chunks of most teams sold to private owners, half of them Indian Premier League clubs.

This has raised $1 billion for the sport in England, though that has not quelled criticism from traditionalists who fear it threatens the county structure and annexes the key summer month of August.

But, besides the cash, The Hundred has succeeded in its aim of attracting a new audience. This midweek afternoon women's match drew 15,640 to Lord's.

Australian officials, pondering the future of the Big Bash League, will have taken note.

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