Southern Brave Women kicked off The Hundred 2025 in style as Lauren Bell picked up 3 wickets to power a six-wicket win over Manchester Originals at Old Trafford.
Match Highlights and Key Moments:
1. Toss & Team Decision
- Southern Brave Women won the toss and chose to bowl first, a smart move given Old Trafford’s tricky surface.
2. Manchester Originals’ Innings: Pressure Builds & Collapse
- Originals managed just 95/8 in 100 balls thanks to disciplined bowling from Brave.
- Seren Smale stood out with a composed 40 off 34 balls*, keeping the Manchester Originals innings alive during a crucial middle phase.
Key Bowling Figures for Southern Brave Women
- Lauren Bell: 3 wickets for 28 runs in 20 balls – led the charge with early breakthroughs.
- Mady Villiers: 2 wickets for 19 runs in 20 balls – crucial middle-over breakthroughs.
3. Fall of Wickets: Manchester Originals Women
- Kathryn Bryce – 3/1 (Ball 3)
- Beth Mooney – 10/2 (Ball 12)
- Amelia Kerr – 23/3 (Ball 25)
- Deandra Dottin – 32/4 (Ball 34)
- Evelyn Jones – 39/5 (Ball 41)
- Alice Monaghan – 47/6 (Ball 53)
- Fi Morris – 54/7 (Ball 64)
- Sophie Ecclestone – 66/8 (Ball 74)
4. Southern Brave’s Chase: Steady and Clinical
- Laura Wolvaardt anchored the chase with a composed 42 off 37 balls.
- Danni Wyatt‑Hodge supported with 32 (27) to press the advantage.
Key Bowling Figures for Originals
- Danielle Gregory: 1 for 11 kept pressure on during the middle overs with disciplined bowling.
- Sophie Ecclestone, Amelia Kerr also provided pressure spells.
5. Fall of Wickets: Southern Brave Women
- Maia Bouchier – 11/1 (Ball 14)
- Danni Wyatt‑Hodge – 59/2 (Ball 46)
- Sophie Devine – 64/3 (Ball 54)
- Freya Kemp – 80/4 (Ball 77)
6. Partnerships That Shaped the Game
Manchester Originals Women
- Seren Smale showed some resistance with limited support from the other end.
Southern Brave Women
- Wyatt-Hodge and Wolvaardt: 48-run stand that built the chase steadily from the start.
- Wolvaardt & Kemp: Added calculated runs to guide their side home.
7. Turning Points of the Match
- Lauren Bell’s three early wickets rocked Originals’ foundations.
- Mady Villiers’ double strike compounded the pressure.
- Laura Wolvaardt and Danielle Wyatt-Hodge steadied the chase with a composed partnership and clever stroke play.
8. Player of the Match
- Lauren Bell stood out with her 3/28, paving the way for Brave’s comfortable win.
9. Match Summary
- At Emirates Old Trafford, Southern Brave won the toss and bowled first. Manchester Originals posted 95/8 in their 100 balls. In response, Southern Brave chased it down with 96/4 in 88 balls, winning by 6 wickets with 12 balls to spare.
10. Points Table Impact
- Southern Brave Women begin the tournament with 2 points and a bonus to their net run rate.
- Manchester Originals Women will aim to recover in their next outing.
👀 What’s Next in The Hundred Women’s 2025?
- Southern Brave Women now head to face Birmingham Phoenix Women at home.
- Manchester Originals Women prepare to face Oval Invincibles Women in their upcoming clash.
