Lauren Bell held her nerve in a dramatic final set to secure a one-run victory for Southern Brave over MI London at the Utilita Bowl. The tense finish kept Southern Brave undefeated at the top of the standings in The Hundred women’s competition.
Lauren Bell Seals Last-Ball Thriller at Utilita Bowl
Southern Brave claimed a heart-stopping one-run victory over MI London to maintain their 100% start to this year’s edition of The Hundred. Defending a total of 126-7 at the Utilita Bowl, Brave needed every single one of their 100 balls to fend off a surging MI chase.
With eight runs required off the final five deliveries of the match, Lauren Bell kept her cool as MI fell agonizingly short at 125-3. Danni Wyatt-Hodge had laid a strong foundation for the chase with an unbeaten half-century, but with four runs needed off the very last delivery, she failed to find a boundary against Bell’s final set.
Bell was mobbed by her Brave team-mates as they secured three wins from their opening three fixtures to remain firmly at the summit of the league standings. Winless MI, meanwhile, were left to reflect on a missed opportunity after coming within inches of a successful chase.
Brave Sets Target Despite Late Collapse
Earlier in the fixture, Southern Brave appeared poised for a much larger total after a brisk start. Maia Bouchier provided early impetus with 31 runs off 22 balls before she was caught slog-sweeping Hayley Matthews to deep mid-wicket. South Africa batter Laura Wolvaardt then anchored the innings with 35 runs from 30 deliveries, sharing a crucial 60-run partnership for the third wicket.
That partnership featured the fluent strokeplay of Jemimah Rodrigues, who contributed 32 runs off 22 deliveries before falling to Matthews. However, Brave’s innings lost momentum in the final phase. Faced with disciplined bowling from MI, the batting lineup faded away as Matthews finished with impressive figures of 4-22.
Matthews and Wyatt-Hodge Drive MI Chase
West Indies all-rounder Hayley Matthews led the response for MI with a brisk 32 off 28 deliveries, hitting four fours before missing a straight delivery from Issy Wong. MI skipper Holly Armitage then steadied the ship alongside Wyatt-Hodge, contributing 27 runs before feathering an edge off Sarah Glenn into the gloves of Lizelle Lee.
As the pressure mounted, MI struggled to find the middle of the bat. Tense, economical bowling from Wong and Sophie Molineux squeezed the run rate and forced errors, setting up the frantic final-ball showdown.
Standings and What Comes Next in the Tournament
The result leaves Southern Brave at the top with a flawless record after three matches, while MI continues searching for their first win of the campaign. The action across The Hundred shifts to Headingley for a double-header featuring Sunrisers Leeds and Manchester SuperGiants.
In the women’s competition, the unbeaten Super Giants travel to face the Sunrisers at 15:00 BST, aiming to chip away at Southern Brave’s lead at the top of the table. Meanwhile, the Super Giants men’s team looks to make it three wins from their opening three fixtures against their Pennines rivals at 18:30 BST.
