Bell Rips Through Originals To Hand Brave Victory

The Hundred women's 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

Scorecard. Table

England seamer Lauren Bell took 3-28 arsenic Southern Brave cruised to a six-wicket triumph successful their opening fixture against Manchester Originals successful The Hundred.

Mady Villiers chipped pinch successful pinch figures of 2-19, while 17-year-old Tilly Corteen-Coleman claimed 1-12 successful a dismal Originals batting performance.

Only Seren Smale emerged pinch immoderate in installments from nan location side's innings, finishing pinch an undefeated 40 to return her squad to 95-8 from their 100 balls.

South Africa skipper Laura Wolvaardt top-scored successful Brave's chase, striking 42 not retired against her erstwhile team.

The visiting broadside ne'er looked successful threat of failing to scope their debased target, but did spot 4 wickets fall, pinch Dani Gregory taking 1-11.

Wolvaardt anchored nan innings arsenic Brave steadily made their measurement to their target of 96, wrapping up triumph pinch 11 balls to spare.

After reaching nan last of nan first 3 editions of The Hundred, winning successful 2023, Southern Brave had a shocking run past twelvemonth - winning conscionable 1 of their 8 matches arsenic they vanished bottom.

On this grounds they will fare amended this season, pinch an onslaught spear-headed by Bell and a supporting formed of awesome spinners.

England's opening bowler collapsed nan stumps of Kathryn Bryce successful her first group and saw New Zealand world Melie Kerr paddle nan last shot of nan powerplay consecutive to Chloe Tryon.

Meanwhile Villiers accounted for Originals skipper Beth Mooney, pinch nan world's number 1 batter cutting to Danni Wyatt-Hodge for conscionable one.

Originals slipped to 66-8 aft 74 balls, pinch 17-year-old Corteen-Coleman bowling nan big-hitting Deandra Dottin for 8 and Bell catching Fi Morris disconnected her ain bowling.

Smale dragged her broadside towards vague respectability, putting connected an unbroken business of 29 pinch Gregory.

Her people of 40 from 34 deliveries was easy nan highest of nan Originals innings, pinch Kerr (14) nan only different batter to make double figures.

Brave mislaid opener Maia Bouchier early on, caught by Ecclestone disconnected Dottin for six, bringing Wolvaardt to nan crease.

The South African, who was making her first quality successful a Brave garment aft 2 years astatine Old Trafford, put connected 48 for nan 2nd wicket pinch Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who made 32.

She saw Wyatt-Hodge and Sophie Devine dismissed successful nan abstraction of 5 balls and Freya Kemp caught disconnected Kerr pinch 16 much runs required.

But location was nary superior wobble, and Wolvaardt deed Dottin for 4 complete mid-off to level nan scores earlier calmly taking nan winning run.

We're disconnected to Headingley connected Thursday arsenic Northern Superchargers return connected Welsh Fire successful different double-header.

You tin travel ball-by-ball commentary connected BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds and nan BBC Sport website and app.