Smriti Mandhana's purple patch in The Hundred Women's Competition 2023 continued. Mandhana scored an unbeaten 70 for Sourther Brave but it was not enough to save them from a four-run loss against Welsh Fire at The Rose Bowl, Southampton on August 4.
Big opening partnership
In the big run chase of 166, Mandhana and Danielle Wyatt got their side off to an ideal start. Wyatt targetted Hayley Matthews who represented Mumbai Indians in the inaugural edition of Women's Premier League (WPL) 2023. Wyatt hit her for two fours and a six. Both Mandhana and Wyatt kept finding boundaries and kept Brave in the hunt.
Mandhana couldn’t finish it off
The partnership was broken off the 58th ball. Wyatt got out after scoring 67 runs from 37 balls including 10 fours and two sixes. Mandhana found boundaries but did not get much support from the other end. Maia Bouchier and Chloe Tryon both got stumped for single-digit scores. In the five deliveries, Matthews made a comeback and did not let Mandhana or new batter Freya Kemp hit a boundary. Southern Brave posted 161/4 but lost the match by four runs. Mandhana's 42-ball 70 included 11 fours. This was her second half-century of the season.
Blazing start
Earlier, Brave skipper Anya Shrubsole won the toss and opted to bowl first. Matthews took on Shrubsole during the fielding restrictions. Skipper Tammy Beaumont contributed with a 17-ball 26 cameo. Laura Harris came out all guns blazing and smacked two sixes, and two fours in the seven-ball 20 before getting run out by Bouchier's direct hit from boundary.
Welsh Fire post big total
Matthews hit as many as 13 fours in her 65-run knock from 38 deliveries. The Caribbean all-rounder was caught and bowled by Tryon. Wicketkeeper-batter Sarah Bryce and Georgia Elwiss helped Welsh Fire finish well and post 165/3. Bryce scored 21 runs from 19 balls whereas Elwiss scored 28 runs from 20 balls. Shrubsole was the most expensive of the lot. She conceded 42 runs from 20 balls.
With a closely-fought win, Welsh Fire climbed to the top of the points table. Brave slipped to the second place as Northern Superchargers have a better net run rate than them.
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