Top-of-the-table Southern Brave continued their unbeaten start to this year’s women’s competition in the Hundred and guaranteed themselves a top-three finish with a nervy penultimate-ball victory over a spirited Welsh Fire.

Needing six runs from the final five, Mady Villiers was run out coming back for two from the first delivery of the set before Georgia Adams was almost brilliantly caught in the deep as she and Rhianna Southby scampered back for two and got Brave over the line with a ball to spare.

Put into bat, Welsh Fire lost the big wicket of Hayley Matthews early, lbw to Sophie Devine for a first-ball duck.

Sophia Dunkley looked to be continuing her form from The Kia Oval on Saturday, starting brightly and hitting four commanding boundaries.

Brave made another important strike when Lauren Bell had Tammy Beaumont (7) brilliantly caught by Maia Bouchier at mid-on as the Fire reached 32 for 2 at the end of the powerplay.

The impressive Tilly Corteen-Coleman returned to the attack to see the back of Dunkley (31), the spinner inducing a false cut shot to have the England batter caught behind by Southby.

Georgia Elwiss reached a run-a-ball 36 not out as the Fire closed their innings on 111 for 6. Bell changed her pace and length expertly to finish with figures of 2 for 21.

Bouchier and Danni Wyatt-Hodge played positively and untroubled, taking the score to 32 without loss after the powerplay and reducing the runs required to just 80.

Fire then struck back to stay in the game. Wyatt-Hodge (18) was caught fantastically by Jess Jonassen at mid-off off Georgia Davis and Jonassen then came into the attack and removed Bouchier (35) and Laura Wolvaardt (3).

Devine countered with a huge slog-swept six off Davis to relieve some pressure and Freya Kemp then deposited Freya Davies into the stands to take Brave closer to their target, but Kemp (17) fell soon after, caught by Shabnim Ismail at long-off off Jonassen.

Chloe Tryon then went for a duck as Jonassen finished with exceptional figures of 4 for 10 before Devine (25) skied Matthews to Davies to leave her side needing 10 from the last 10 and then six from the final five.

Meerkat Match Hero Devine said: “Credit has to go to the Welsh Fire there. We were probably cruising at the halfway stage and the way that they were able to fight back and take it to the last set, full credit to them.

“It wasn’t our best day today, we’ll be the first ones to admit that. To get over the line is really pleasing and now we move forward.

“I’m really pleased we were able to restrict them to what we did and finally get over the line there with the bat. We wanted to get ahead of the run rate and Dan and Bouch were outstanding and put the pressure back onto the Welsh Fire.

“Then we probably got a little bit of the wobbles unfortunately but to be able to get over the line and people to keep their heads there at the end was really pleasing.”

Brief scores:
Southern Brave Women  112 for 7 in 99 balls  (Maia Bouchier 35, Danni Wyatt Hodge 18, Sophie Devine 25, Freya Kemp 17; Hayley Matthews 1-17, Jess  Jonassen 4-10, Georgia Davis 1-13) beat Welsh Fire Women 111 for 6 in 100 balls (Georgia Elwiss 36*, Sophia Dunkley 31, Jess Jonassen 11, Sarah Bryce 11; Lauren Bell 2-21, Sophie Devine 2-23, Tiley Corteen Coleman 1-22, Chloe Tryon 1-06)  by three wickets

[Cricinfo]