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In what can only be described as a fitting farewell, Anya Shrubsole, captaining the Southern Brave, clinched their inaugural title in The Hundred Women's 2023 at Lord's on Sunday, August 27. Facing Northern Superchargers, the Brave showcased their prowess in front of an impressive 21,636 spectators, marking a record turnout for the event.
The initial stages of the match were tense for the Brave. Having lost their previous two finals against the Oval Invincibles, their batting lineup seemed shaky yet again, finding themselves at a precarious 8 for 2 after just nine deliveries. However, with stellar performances from Danni Wyatt, who scored a brisk 59 off 38, and Freya Kemp's crucial 31 off 17, the Brave managed to set a competitive target of 140.
The Southern Brave's defense was robust. Lauren Bell, displaying remarkable form, claimed two critical wickets early on, including that of the Superchargers' top scorer, Phoebe Litchfield. Rhianna Southby, Brave's young wicketkeeper, showcased her skills by effecting three stumpings, finishing the tournament with a commendable 11 dismissals.
Despite Jemimah Rodrigues' valiant attempt to stabilize the Superchargers' innings, they fell short. Rodrigues, who scored 24, was unfortunately deprived of facing enough deliveries. With both Bell and Kalea Moore snaring three wickets each, the Brave's victory was sealed when a mix-up led to Grace Ballinger's run out.
While Shrubsole was set to bowl the concluding deliveries, the match wrapped up with six balls remaining, marking the end of a glorious career for the Brave captain. After retiring from international cricket post the World Cup, Shrubsole's dedication to the Brave and her impending retirement became a rallying cry for the team throughout the season.
A visibly emotional Shrubsole mentioned post-match, " "We feel like we've played some brilliant cricket. Coming into this we'd won 20 out of 25 games which is an unbelievable record. Not to have won the trophy was tough to take so it felt like this was just deserts."
The victory also highlighted coach Charlotte Edwards' impressive run, achieving her third short-form trophy this year. With this win, Southern Brave, undoubtedly the most consistent team across the three Hundred seasons, finally has a well-deserved trophy to their name.
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