A last-gasp boundary by Reece Topley sealed a nail-biting one-wicket win for Southern Brave Men over Manchester Originals Men, while Southern Brave Women cruised to a six-wicket victory to complete a successful double-header at The Hundred on Wednesday.
Tailenders hold their nerve in frantic men's finish
With just three runs needed off the final two balls and the last man on strike, Reece Topley found the boundary under pressure to hand Brave Men a dramatic win in a low-scoring thriller.
We managed to somehow get ourselves in a position where it was in our hands.. Craig-O (Overton) pulled some big hits out. Brilliant knock from him.
Chasing 132, Brave were reeling at 105/8 after Scott Currie’s fiery 4-28, but Craig Overton (18 off 8)* and Tymal Mills (13 off 5) launched a stunning counterattack with a flurry of sixes and boundaries.
Bat on ball was the main thing for me. Try to take it as deep as we could. It was a wicket that rewarded you for hitting the pitch hard.
Earlier, Phil Salt's 60 off 41 balls helped Originals post 131/4, but wickets at regular intervals stalled momentum. Tymal Mills starred with the ball, returning 3-22 from 20 balls, stifling the middle overs.
Overton-Mills heroics erase top-order jitters
Southern Brave lost six batters in single digits, with only Jason Roy (30) and Leus du Plooy (25) providing resistance at the top.
Needing 28 from 13 balls with two wickets in hand, Overton and Mills turned the game with fearless hitting. A dropped catch and a four off Salt added to the drama before Topley’s cool finish sparked celebrations.
Brave Women cruise past Manchester after Bell’s early strikes
Wolvaardt, Wyatt anchor chase after fiery burst from Bell and Villiers
Lauren Bell’s triple strike set the tone for Southern Brave Women, who restricted Manchester Originals to 95/8 before calmly chasing it down.
Bell (3-28) knocked over Kathryn Bryce with the third ball of the match and dismissed Amelia Kerr (14) and Fi Morris (1) to break the Originals' back early.
It’s great to get a first win on the board. The girls got stuck in. It was a tricky pitch, but we have a great batting line-up that did the job.
Mady Villiers chipped in with 2-19, removing Beth Mooney (1) and Eve Jones (7) as the hosts crumbled to 39-5 in 41 balls.
Only Seren Smale offered resistance with a fighting 40 off 34*, but the lack of support left the Originals well short.
Wolvaardt, Wyatt see Brave home
Southern Brave’s chase was steady despite a few stumbles. After Maia Bouchier (6) fell early, Laura Wolvaardt (42)* and Danni Wyatt-Hodge (32) added 48 runs to seal the result.
We talked about being confident and having fun and backing our strengths. We want to go out and enjoy every game.
What’s next
The action continues Thursday as the Northern Superchargers face Welsh Fire in another double-header at Headingley.
