Bell rips through Originals to hand Brave victory
- BBC News
With 44 dismissals, Lauren Bell has the second-highest number of wickets in the competitions history, one behind former Brave team-mate Amanda-Jade Wellington
The Hundred womens competition, Old Trafford
Manchester Originals 95-8 (100 balls): Smale 40* (34); Bell 3-28
Southern Brave 96-4 (89 balls): Wolvaardt 42* (37); Gregory 1-11
Southern Brave won by six wickets
England seamer Lauren Bell took 3-28 as Southern Brave cruised to a six-wicket win in their opening fixture against Manchester Originals in The Hundred.
Mady Villiers chipped with in with figures of 2-19, while 17-year-old Tilly Corteen-Coleman claimed 1-12 in a dismal Originals batting performance.
Only Seren Smale emerged with any credit from the home sides innings, finishing with an undefeated 40 to take her team to 95-8 from their hundred balls.
South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt top-scored in Braves chase, striking 42 not out against her former team.
The visiting side never looked in danger of failing to reach their low target, but did see four wickets fall, with Dani Gregory taking 1-11.
Wolvaardt anchored the innings as Brave steadily made their way to their target of 96, wrapping up victory with 11 balls to spare.
After reaching the final of the first three editions of The Hundred, winning in 2023, Southern Brave had a shocking campaign last year - winning just one of their eight matches as they finished bottom.
On this evidence they will fare better this season, with an attack spear-headed by Bell and a supporting cast of impressive spinners.
Englands opening bowler broke the stumps of Kathryn Bryce in her first set and saw New Zealand international Melie Kerr paddle the final ball of the powerplay straight to Chloe Tryon.
Meanwhile Villiers accounted for Originals captain Beth Mooney, with the worlds number one batter cutting to Danni Wyatt-Hodge for just one.
Originals slipped to 66-8 after 74 balls, with 17-year-old Corteen-Coleman bowling the big-hitting Deandra Dottin for eight and Bell catching Fi Morris off her own bowling.
Smale dragged her side towards vague respectability, putting on an unbroken partnership of 29 with Gregory.
Her score of 40 from 34 deliveries was easily the highest of the Originals innings, with Kerr (14) the only other batter to make double figures.
Brave lost opener Maia Bouchier early on, caught by Ecclestone off Dottin for six, bringing Wolvaardt to the crease.
The South African, who was making her first appearance in a Brave shirt after two years at Old Trafford, put on 48 for the second wicket with Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who made 32.
She saw Wyatt-Hodge and Sophie Devine dismissed in the space of five balls and Freya Kemp caught off Kerr with 16 more runs required.
But there was no serious wobble, and Wolvaardt hit Dottin for four over mid-off to level the scores before calmly taking the winning run.
Were off to Headingley on Thursday as Northern Superchargers take on Welsh Fire in another double-header.
You can follow ball-by-ball commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app.
