Welsh Fire ascended to the top of the women's Hundred table with a commanding seven-wicket win over Southern Brave at Sophia Gardens. Hayley Matthews' impressive 3 for 16 ensured that the winless Brave were dismissed for just 84, a total that Welsh Fire chased down comfortably with seven wickets to spare.
The match began with immediate impact, as Freya Davies took Smriti Mandhana's wicket with the first ball – a feat she has accomplished twice in this year's competition. Southern Brave struggled throughout, losing wickets steadily and failing to cope with both seam and spin, validating Tammy Beaumont's choice to field first.
Georgia Adams managed a top score of 17 for Brave, but it was Matthews who shone with the ball, supported by excellent fielding from her teammates. Phoebe Franklin and Beaumont made notable catches to dismiss Maia Bouchier and Danni Wyatt, respectively.
In their reply, Welsh Fire paced their innings well despite an early setback when Sophia Dunkley was dismissed for a golden duck. Beaumont and Bryce guided the team steadily through the chase. Beaumont's innings ended when Lauren Cheatle, the standout bowler for Brave, bowled her for 34, conceding only eight runs from her 20 balls.
Jess Jonassen then steered Welsh Fire to victory, marking their fourth win of the tournament and securing their position at the top of the standings.
Reflecting on her performance, Matthews noted the importance of maintaining straight lines and leveraging the pitch's turn and bounce. She attributed the team's success to a strong collective effort and a solid start with an early wicket, setting the tone for the match.
“We’ve been performing well as a team, with everyone contributing," Matthews commented. "Starting with an early wicket gave us momentum, and we built on it from there.”