Sophie Molineux’s golden northern summer continued after returning the second most economical figures in the Hundred’s history to ensure her unbeaten Southern Brave extended their lead atop the table.
Returning to Lord’s where she captained Australia to the World Cup title last month, Molineux led the way with outstanding figures of 3-7 from her 20 balls. Only teammate Lauren Bell, who took 4-6 against Welsh Fire last season, has produced a more miserly spell.
The left-arm spinner’s brilliance ensured the Brave notched their fifth consecutive win with a five-wicket victory over London Spirit at the Home of Cricket.
The Brave limited their opponents to 8-114 before Maia Bouchier’s 46 saw them reach their victory target with five wickets and seven balls remaining, and look favourites to book the first spot in the final.
Molineux removed Amy Jones, Marie Kelly and Deandra Dottin with Tilly Corteen-Coleman and Sarah Glenn taking two wickets each in a dominant bowling performance despite South Africans Marizanne Kapp hitting 34 and Nadine de Klerk 38, including three maximums.
Bouchier anchored Brave’s reply, falling four runs short of a half-century when she was stumped off the bowling of Charlie Dean with just one run required.
Captain Molineux departed for 23 to the very next ball and it was left to Naomi Dattani to finally nudge her side across the finishing line.
“The pitch had a little bit in it for the spinners,” player-of-the-match Molineux said. “I thought Tilly bowled really well from that top end as well and Glenny played a massive role there in the middle doing what she does best.
“It was a really good bowling performance from everyone all-round. No standouts, just everyone playing their role.”
Fellow Australian Ellyse Perry meanwhile scored a half-century as the Birmingham Phoenix picked up their first victory of the competition in dramatic fashion with a seven-wicket win over Welsh Fire.
Phoenix won the toss and chose to bowl but Perry’s fellow Aussie Georgia Voll knocked 78 from 55 balls to put the Fire in a commanding position while Sophie Devine’s 35 from 19 balls helped propel them to 3-144.
In reply, Davina Perrin and Tammy Beaumont were dismissed early which brought Capsey and Perry to to the crease and it looked like the pair would take Phoenix to an easy victory until Capsey was caught by Aussie Heather Graham off the bowling of Voll.
Phoenix still needed 24 for victory from 18 but the Fire accumulated a flurry of dot balls which left Birmingham needing 10 from the final three balls.
However, Perry was still at the crease and she slogged her international team-mate Graham over the boundary at deep midwicket before she cracked the next ball through point to give Birmingham a dramatic first win with a single ball to spare.
In the men’s competition, returning England Test captain Joe Root’s unbeaten half-century eased the Fire to a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Birmingham.
Root and skipper Phil Salt put on 77 for the first wicket before Salt fell for 46, but Root was there at the end on 58 not out as his side reached their target of 138 for the loss of just three wickets with four balls to spare.
Fire were indebted to Jordan Cox for two stunning relay catches on the boundary to dismiss Tasmanian Mitch Owen (18 off 14) and then Joe Clarke (35 from 23) as they reduced Phoenix from 1-53 to 5-79.
The hosts, who had elected to bat, did themselves few favours as Laurie Evans and Rehan Ahmed succumbed to disastrous run-outs.
They eventually managed to reach 9-137 with Clarke’s 23-ball 35, which included two sixes and four fours, the most notable contribution as Lockie Ferguson and Marco Jansen took two wickets each.
Later on Saturday (Sunday AEST), Jofra Archer blasted through London Spirit’s batting line-up to set up a five-wicket victory for Southern Brave at Lord’s.
The England paceman took 4-9 runs to help reduce the hosts to 105 all out in just 92 balls.
Opener Jonny Bairstow was the only batter to offer any real resistance with a 43-ball knock 56, which included two sixes and five fours, with veteran Marcus Stoinis helping himself to 3-17.
Fellow Aussies Andrew Tye and Adam Zampa both fell to first-ball ducks, with the leggie one of Stoinis’ victims.
Brave opener Jamie Smith looked to have put his side on the road to a comfortable win with 36 from 22 balls, but they collapsed from 2-55 to 5-60 in the space of 14 deliveries to give Spirit hope.
However, David Miller scored an unbeaten 39 and completed the chase with a second six in five balls with three still remaining.
– with PA, ECB Media
The Hundred 2026 women’s standings
Team
Matches played
M
Wins
W
Losses
L
Ties
T
Drawn
D
No results
N/R
Net Run Rate
NRR
Deductions
Ded.
Batting Bonus
Bat
Bowling Bonus
Bowl
Total points
PTS
1
SBW
5
5
0
0
0
0
0.49
0
0
0
20
2
TRW
4
3
1
0
0
0
2.076
0
0
0
12
3
MSW
4
2
1
0
0
1
0.711
0
0
0
10
4
LSW
4
1
2
1
0
0
-0.833
0
0
0
6
5
BPW
4
1
2
0
0
1
-2.184
0
0
0
6
6
SLW
3
1
2
0
0
0
0.469
0
0
0
4
7
WFW
4
1
3
0
0
0
0.294
0
0
0
4
8
MLW
4
0
3
1
0
0
-1.379
0
0
0
2
Legend
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
D: Drawn
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
Bat: Batting Bonus
Bowl: Bowling Bonus
PTS: Total points
The Hundred 2026 men’s standings
Team
Matches played
M
Wins
W
Losses
L
Ties
T
Drawn
D
No results
N/R
Net Run Rate
NRR
Deductions
Ded.
Batting Bonus
Bat
Bowling Bonus
Bowl
Total points
PTS
1
TRM
4
3
1
0
0
0
0.924
0
0
0
12
2
WFM
4
3
1
0
0
0
-0.222
0
0
0
12
3
MSG
4
2
2
0
0
0
0.611
0
0
0
8
4
SBM
5
2
3
0
0
0
0.104
0
0
0
8
5
MSM
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
6
SLM
3
2
1
0
0
0
0.032
0
0
0
8
7
MLM
4
2
2
0
0
0
-0.081
0
0
0
8
8
LSM
4
1
3
0
0
0
-0.055
0
0
0
4
9
BPM
4
1
3
0
0
0
-1.208
0
0
0
4
Legend
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
D: Drawn
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
Bat: Batting Bonus
Bowl: Bowling Bonus
PTS: Total points
Australians in the Hundred
(* denotes bought in auction)
Birmingham Phoenix
Men: Mitch Owen £130,000 (A$244,000)
Women: Ellyse Perry £100,000 (A$187,436), Alana King* £37,500 (A$70,000), Lucy Hamilton withdrawn
London Spirit
Men: Adam Zampa £190,000 (A$357,000), Andrew Tye
Women: Grace Harris £70,000 (A$131,000)
Manchester Super Giants
Women: Meg Lanning £95,000 (A$178,000), Maitlan Brown* £40,000 (A$75,000)
MI London
Women: Nicola Carey* £95,000 (A$178,000)
Southern Brave
Men: Marcus Stoinis £150,000 (A$282,000), Nikhil Chaudhary* £31,000 (A$58,000)
Women: Sophie Molineux* £47,500 (A$89,000), Lizelle Lee £27,500 (A$53,000)
Sunrisers Leeds
Men: Mitch Marsh £200,000 (A$376,000), Nathan Ellis £145,000 (A$278,000)
Women: Annabel Sutherland £130,000 (A$244,000), Phoebe Litchfield £120,000 (A$225,000), Jess Jonassen* £110,000 (A$206,000)
Trent Rockets
Men: Tim David £350,000 (A$658,000)
Women: Beth Mooney* £210,000 ($A394,000), Ashleigh Gardner £100,000 (A$187,000), Kim Garth £42,000 (A$79,000), Sam Bates £15,000 (A$29,000)
Welsh Fire
Men: Matt Short* £75,000 (A$140,978)
Women: Georgia Wareham £100,000 (A$187,000), Georgia Voll £80,000 (A$150,000), Heather Graham* £27,500 (A$52,000)
