THE HUNDRED – WOMEN’S COMPETITION 2025
Lauren Bell returned figures of 4 for 6 © Getty
Southern Brave capped off a flawless league campaign with a comprehensive 29-run victory over Welsh Fire at The Rose Bowl, maintaining their perfect eight-from-eight record to storm into the final of The Hundred Women’s Competition 2025. Meanwhile, Fire’s campaign ended with a solitary victory and plenty of questions to answer.
Put in to bat, Brave posted 106 for 8, a total built on the back of contributions from Georgia Adams and Danni Wyatt-Hodge. Adams top-scored with 30, while Wyatt-Hodge added 24 at the top of the order, providing the early momentum before Fire’s bowlers found some control. Hayley Matthews and Shabnim Ismail struck at regular intervals to keep the home side in check, but Brave’s batting depth allowed them to cross the 100-run mark – a score that would eventually prove more than enough.
In reply, Fire never really found fluency in their chase. Tammy Beaumont offered brief resistance with 28, but lacked support as wickets tumbled around her. Lauren Bell ripped through the batting order with a devastating spell, finishing with figures of 4 for 6 from 20 balls. Her incisive spell, with support from the rest of the bowlers, kept Fire in check throughout the innings as they were restricted to 77 for 9 from their full allotment.
This victory ensured Brave finished the league stage with a perfect record – the first team in The Hundred’s history to win all eight group matches in a single season – as they finished atop the table for the third time. Fire, on the other hand, finished at the bottom of the table for the third time in five seasons.
Brief scores: Southern Brave 106/8 in 100 balls (Georgia Adams 30*, Dani Wyatt-Hodge 24; Hayley Matthews 2-16, Shabnim Ismail 2-22) beat Welsh Fire 77/9 in 100 balls (Tammy Beaumont 28; Lauren Bell 4-6) by 29 runs.
© Cricbuzz
