Southern Brave vs Welsh Fire at Ageas Bowl (Southampton) at 15h00 on 4 August
Before the match, Tammy Beaumont (Fire) was happy that ‘Fire’ could post a defendable score to challenge Brave as twice-finalists. In contrast, Anya Shrubsole (Brave) was confident of chalking-up Brave’s second win. TV pundit’s predictions agreed until the final over when POTM ‘Meerkat Match Hero’ WIndies star Hayley Matthews ‘used her experience’ to take the match down to the final ball. Fire became the first team to beat Brave on their home ground as they posted their team’s record score. Separately, Hayley Matthews hit match-winning 65 runs (from 38 balls); bowled the death over during which two crucial wickets fell and took a ‘well-judged’ catch.
Introduced for Sky Sports by pundits Ebony Rainford-Brent and Charles Dagnall (former England players); with Natalie Germanos (South African TV personality) and Aatif Nawaz (sports journalist.) Before the match, Shabnim Ismail (Rep. South Africa) talked to Aatif Nawaz, as one of the world’s fastest female bowlers (80mph.) Shabnim Ismail spoke about joining ‘Welsh Fire’ (from Invincibles – twice winners); also to see whether she could contribute to another trophy-winning team. Match highlights courtesy of Sky Sports (please see below.) Weather at Southampton was cool for August, overcast; with flood lights switched-on, soon after play began.
WF-W Innings With ‘several changes,’ skipper Tammy Beaumont announced that Hayley Matthews (WIndies) had agreed to play every match. Previously, Hayley Matthews played a match-winning innings for Fire’s first competiton win (July’21); but missed later matches when called-up to play for her country. *[Rhianna Southby keeping wicket for Brave] *Internationals Hayley Matthews (WIndies) & Shabnim Ismail (Rep. South Africa). *Debutantes Laura Harris (Australia Women’s Big Bash League) & Scotland’s Sarah Bryce. *After 25 balls ‘Power-play,’ Fire were 43/0 & 103/1 by mid-way. *Skipper Beaumont banked 80 without loss, partnered by Hayley Matthews. *Playing as anchor, Tammy Beaumont 26(17) was stumped by Rhianna Southby, from Georgia Adams (1/38) *Debutante Laura Harris 22(7) hit fellow Australian Maitlan Brown for two ‘sixes,’ until ‘run-out’ by Maia Bouchier’s direct hit from-the-deep. *Hayley Matthews 65(38) top-scored with a match-winning performance, until lobbing a return ‘dolly:’ caught-and-bowled by Chloe Tryon (1/28) *Sarah Bryce 21*not out(19) partnered by Georgia Elwiss 28*not out (20) played cameo innings, nudging Fire’s total to within one run of the record score (166.) *Top-scorer was Hayley Matthews 65(38.)
SB-W Innings Skipper Anya Shrubsole – unchanged side. *[Sarah Bryce keeping wicket for Fire] *Internationals Maitlan Brown (Australia WBBL), Smriti Mandhana (India), & Chloe Tryon (Rep. South Africa) *Chasing down the second-highest target score, Brave’s 1st wicket partnership banked 96 runs. *Danny Wyatt providing ‘wonderful entertainment’ with her quick-fire ‘fifty.’ *After 25 balls ‘Power-play,’ Brave were level-pegging 40/0 (vs 43/0) & 81/0 vs (103/1) by mid-way. *Danni Wyatt 67(37) fell to a ‘well-judged’ catch, taken by Hayley Matthews. *Pundit’s predictions favoured ‘Brave’ as Smriti Mandhana who’d played anchor, stepped-up for her back-to-back ‘fifty.’ *Maia Bouchier 9(8) came-down-the-wicket to Hayley Matthews and was stumped by Sarah Bryce. *With 25 balls remaining, Smriti Mandhana and Chloe Tyron needed to score 44 runs; which (20 balls later) diminished down to 9 runs from 5 balls. *Controversy struck after Chloe Tryon went down-the-wicket to Hayley Matthews (adding an ‘extra’ for the ‘wide’) but was stumped by Sarah Bryce after missing the ball. *With 4 balls remaining, Hayley Matthews used ‘all her experience’ to restrict batters (Smriti Mandhana and Freya Kemp) to three singles, whereas Freya Kemp and Smriti Mandhana needed to score ‘six’ needed to win, or ‘four’ or tie the match. *Smriti Mandhana top-scored with 70*not out (42) *Best Fire bowler was Alex Griffiths 2/26.
Match summary: Exciting match, its outcome decided by the hundredth ball, following a little controversy when a player was ‘stumped’ when attempting a ‘wide.’ Hayley Matthews used ‘all her experience’ to restrict batters (Smriti Mandhana and Freya Kemp) to three single and taking two wickets from the last five balls. Also handing (what was previously thought of by TV pundits as) an unlikely victory to Fire. As mentioned above, ‘Meerkat Match Hero’ Hayley Matthews received her cap-and-medal from Charles Dagnall for her match-winning 65 runs; taking a wicket and making a vital breakthrough when catching Danni Wyatt. ‘Welsh Fire’ top the leader-board with 3 points after 2 rounds, although Superchargers (2 points) could overtake them with a game-in-hand.
Match result: Welsh Fire Women 165/3 beat Southern Brave Women 161/4 by 4 runs
*Fire batting: 165/3: (100 balls @1.6 runs-per-ball); Hayley Matthews 65(38), Georgia Elwiss 28*not out (20), Tammy Beaumont 26(17), Sarah Bryce 21*not out (19), Laura Harris 22(7); *Brave bowling: Chloe Tryon 1/28, Georgia Adams 1/38; Fow 1-80, 2-104, 3-117.
*Brave batting 161/4: (100 balls @1.6 runs-per-ball, target 166 from 100 balls); Smriti Mandhana 70*not out (42), Danni Wyatt 67(37); *Fire bowling: Alex Griffiths 2/26, Hayley Matthews 1/35; Fow 1-96, 2-122, 3-158, 4-161.
*Scorecard & Statistics at URL: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/ECKE1000721
*Match highlights (06m 47s) courtesy of Sky Sports @URL https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/cricket/12933683/highlights-welsh-fire-beat-southern-brave-in-epic-in-womens-hundred/more/4
