The Hundred 2023: Southern Brave move top after final-ball win in Cardiff

Video caption, Bouchier hits big six down the ground
  • Author, Jonty Colman
  • Role, 麻豆社 Sport

Southern Brave ended Welsh Fire's unbeaten start to The Hundred with a two-wicket victory at Sophia Gardens.

Inspired by Sophia Dunkley's 50, Fire set Brave 145 to win.

The visitors started well with a 77-run partnership between Smriti Mandhana and Maia Bouchier, but fell from 78-1 to 92-4.

However, Georgia Adams hit a quickfire 40 to settle any nerves and complete the highest successful run-chase in this year's women's competition.

With one run needed off the final ball to win, Southern Brave captain Anya Shrubsole ran a quick single after the ball hit her pads to seal victory.

Video caption, Root's scoop leads plays of the day

What else do you need to know?

  • England batter Sophia Dunkley returned to haunt her former side, scoring her first half-century of the 2023 edition of The Hundred. In her third knock of the tournament, her 50 took her to 103 runs for the tournament, at an average of 34.33.
  • Brave's Georgia Adams got two wickets, taking her tally to 12 for this year's competition, putting her well clear at the top of the tournament list. Last year, former Southern Brave star and now Manchester Originals spinner, Amanda-Jade Wellington (17), was the only woman to take more wickets. Adams' 12 wickets this year have come at an average of 9.75.
  • England batter Danni Wyatt was removed for a second-ball duck by Shabnim Ismail in the opening set of the Southern Brave's innings. It is the first time Wyatt has failed to make double figures with the bat in this season's competition.
  • England teenager Freya Kemp struggled once again with the bat as she was removed for a golden duck by Georgia Elwiss. This year in The Hundred, she has been dismissed five times, scoring just seven runs at an average of 1.4.
  • The attendance of 6,516 was the highest for any women's match in The Hundred at Sophia Gardens.

'It was about time I turned up with the bat'

Southern Brave's Georgia Adams: "I'm on a bit of an adrenaline comedown, we've had a few nail-biters, so it was great to get over the line like that.

"To restrict them to that score was pretty impressive.

"It was probably about time I turned up with the bat this tournament, so it's great to get the team over the line, but when Smriti and Maia are batting the way they are and setting up the game like that, it does make it that fraction easier to come in.

"It's a tournament of small margins, every little helps. It's a great win for us."