Lauren Bell’s impressive performance brings her wicket tally to 44 in the competition’s history, just one shy of former Brave teammate Amanda-Jade Wellington’s leading record.
The Hundred women’s competition, Old Trafford
Manchester Originals 95-8 (100 balls): Smale 40* (34); Bell 3-28
Southern Brave 96-4 (89 balls): Wolvaardt 42* (37); Gregory 1-11
Southern Brave won by six wickets
Southern Brave initiated their Hundred campaign with a dominant six-wicket victory over Manchester Originals, fueled by England’s Lauren Bell’s stellar 3-28 performance.
Mady Villiers contributed with figures of 2-19, while 17-year-old Tilly Corteen-Coleman impressed with 1-12 amidst a lackluster batting display from the Originals.
Seren Smale offered a resilient performance for the home side, crafting an unbeaten 40 that lifted her team to 95-8 from their allotted hundred balls.
South Africa’s captain, Laura Wolvaardt, spearheaded the Brave’s chase with a match-winning 42 not out against her former squad.
Despite losing four wickets, the visiting team maintained control throughout their pursuit of the modest target, with Dani Gregory claiming 1-11.
Wolvaardt anchored the innings as Brave steadily progressed towards their target of 96, securing victory with 11 balls remaining.
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After consistent appearances in the first three Hundred finals, including a title win in 2023, Southern Brave endured a disappointing campaign last year, finishing at the bottom with only one victory in eight matches.
Based on this performance, they appear poised for a stronger showing this season, boasting a formidable attack led by Bell and supported by a talented spin contingent.
England’s opening bowler dismantled Kathryn Bryce’s stumps in her initial set and capitalized on New Zealand international Melie Kerr’s miscue, sending a catch straight to Chloe Tryon during the powerplay’s final delivery.
Meanwhile, Villiers accounted for Originals captain Beth Mooney, with the world’s top-ranked batter caught by Danni Wyatt-Hodge for a mere one.
Originals faltered to 66-8 after 74 balls, as 17-year-old Corteen-Coleman dismissed the powerful Deandra Dottin for eight, and Bell caught Fi Morris off her own delivery.
Smale provided some much-needed resistance, forging an unbroken partnership of 29 with Gregory.
Her score of 40 from 34 balls stood out as the highest in the Originals innings, with Kerr (14) being the only other batter to reach double figures.
Brave faced an early setback with the loss of opener Maia Bouchier, caught by Ecclestone off Dottin for six, bringing Wolvaardt to the crease.
The South African, making her debut for Brave after two seasons at Old Trafford, formed a crucial 48-run partnership for the second wicket with Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who contributed 32.
She witnessed the dismissals of Wyatt-Hodge and Sophie Devine within five balls, followed by Freya Kemp’s catch off Kerr, leaving 16 more runs required.
However, the chase remained composed, and Wolvaardt sealed the victory by hitting Dottin for four over mid-off to level the scores before calmly securing the winning run.
The Hundred – fixtures, results & reports
The action moves to Headingley on Thursday as Northern Superchargers face Welsh Fire in another double-header.
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