Welsh Fire Women v Southern Brave Women at Cardiff (Sophia Gardens) on 27 July
Receiving ‘Hero-Of-The-Match’ award from Charles Dagnall for her match-winning fifty, Smriti Mandhana (61* runs from 39 balls) said that ‘hard work done’ (by ‘Brave’ fielders) ‘made her job easy.’ Player-turned-pundit Kevin Pietersen said that ‘Brave’ had taken advantage of conditions that he believed repeatedly were suited to swing bowling (i.e.: Lauren Bell and Anya Shrubsole)
‘The Hundred’s 8th match was broadcast live (commentators included Charles Dagnall, Mel Jones and Kevin Pietersen) from SKY Sports TV; plus cricket social media (Alan Gardner for epsn-cric-info.) Before the match, ‘Fire’s’ skipper Sophie Luff fielded an unchanged team. ‘Brave’ skipper Anya Shrubsole told TV she’d brought in slow-arm bowler Charlotte Taylor (Tara Norris rested)
Put in to bat, ’Fire’ predictably lost early wickets to Lauren Bell’s (2/19) swing. Australian Amanda-Jade Wellington played a memorable part.
*Firstly scoring a direct hit at Bryony Smith’s stumps (run out from Bell’s fifth ball);
*Secondly taking the catch to dismiss ‘Fire’s’ top scorer (WIndies star Hayley Matthews 33 from 20) – also off Bell’s bowling; *Thirdly Wellington (2/19) took two wickets with her own spin
Approaching half-way, (following Hayley Matthews’s dismissal) Lauren Bell had Sarah Taylor (0) ‘leg before’ for a golden duck – at which point skipper Sophie Luff faced Lauren Bell’s hat-trick ball. *Once Luff was stumped by Carla Rudd from Charlotte Taylor’s (1/19) slow-arm bowling, only Georgia Hennessy (23* from 24) gave any spirited resistance.
*Australian Piepa Cleary (8) gifted Amanda-Jade Wellington her second wicket, from Keeper Rudd’s second stumping. *’Fire’ faced a total of 43 (43%) non-scoring ‘dot’ balls
’Brave’s’ reply consisted mainly of Smrtiti Mandhana scoring half of the winning runs – ending with a decisive ‘six.’ Danni Wyatt (12) was caught behind – Ultra-edge finding her glove before reaching Sarah Taylor. Sophia Dunkley (16) was caught mis-timing high over cover. WIndies skipper Stafanie Taylor (17*) played a sensible anchor role. ‘Brave’ faced 29 ‘dots’
*In summary, commentators said ‘Brave’ were a team of ‘real quality.’ ‘Fire’ failed to exploit their home ground conditions, questioning the absence of seamers who could have been bowling from both ends
*Gardner (epsn-cric-info) noted that left-arm seamer Katie George missed bowling for a second game running, ‘having spent winter recovering from a back stress fracture’
Result: Southern Brave (Women) 112-2 beat Welsh Fire (Women) 110-7 (20 ov) won by 8 wickets with 16 balls remaining
Welsh Fire W (WF-W) 110-7 (1.10 runs-per-ball): Hayley Matthews 33 runs (from 20 balls), Georgia Hennessy 23*(24), Georgia Redmayne, 15(20); ‘Brave’ bowling: Lauren Bell 2/19, Amanda-Jade Wellington 2/19, Charlotte Taylor 1/19; Fow 1-3, 2-26, 3-52, 4-52, 5-65, 6-74, 7-100; Southern Brave W (SB-W) 112-2 (1.33 rpb): Smriti Mandhana 61* runs (from 39 balls), Stafanie Taylor 17* (20), Sophia Dunkley 16 (16), ‘Fire’ Bowling Nicole Harvey 1/23, Piepa Cleary 1/27; Fow 1-16, 2-58
Scorecard at: https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/the-hundred-women-s-competition-2021-1252659/welsh-fire-women-vs-southern-brave-women-8th-match-1252707/full-scorecard
