The Timeline: Welsh Fire Women v Southern Brave Women

Lauren Bell and Smriti Mandhana combined to secure a handsome win in south wales

Scorecard

Southern Brave maintained their 100 per cent record with a convincing win over Welsh Fire at Sophia Gardens

Lauren Bell and Amanda-Jade Wellington shared four wickets as the hosts were restricted to just 110 from their full allocation.

The chase rarely looked like troubling Brave, who thanks to Smriti Mandhana's unbeaten 61 secured back-to-back wins to go second in the table behind Northern Superchargers.

Brave won the toss and chose to field. An understandable decision, given 59 per cent of teams win chasing and with rain around South Wales.

Ball 10: This is the kind of running that gets you doing extra laps in midweek training. Bryony Smith trots to the other end, barely slides her bat in and is run-out by a direct hit by Amanda Jade-Wellington. The Aussie looks a bit embarrassed by the whole thing, not realising the wicket had fallen until the celebrations started elsewhere.

Ball 29: Stand and deliver. Hayley Matthews lifts the ball over the top as Wellington goes too short. The West Indian rocks back and shuffles the ball over the infield for a boundary.

Ball 30: And again. This is all muscle from Matthews, who steps forward this time and sends Wellington to the rope again. if she can hang around Fire might be in business.

Ball 34: Georgia Redmayne has only faced a handful of balls but she is right into her stride, as her flowing bat sends the ball through cover.

^{BOOM! Hayley Matthews lifts one to the boundary}

Ball 44: Matthews is unplayable in this mood. Wellington can't bowl anywhere and this time she goes back, powering the ball through the gap at long-off.

Ball 48: That is three down for Fire. Bell gets the ball to swing the other way this time and Matthews gets a thick edge and is snaffled at backward point by Wellington.

Ball 49: Got her! Bell with a beautiful inswinger she traps new batter Sarah Taylor. She reviews but it is motivated by hope more than expectation.

Ball 75: More average running and Fire lose another key batter. Redmayne is heading back to the danger end and takes on Danni Wyatt's arm. The end result of rather inevitable.

More superb work from Sarah Taylor!#TheHundredpic.twitter.com/FoY6xrtDGp

— The Cricketer (@TheCricketerMag) July 27, 2021

Brave need 111 to make it two from two. Fire might need the rain to become a bit heavier.

Ball 2: Onimous sign. Wyatt takes aim via her first ball of the innings which she crashes for four.

Ball 5: Fire needed early wickets but their hope is being trampled on here. Wyatt is in full attack mode and thunders another boundary down the ground.

Ball 10: Sarah Taylor goes up for one down the leg side, but she looks particularly encouraged by this one as Wyatt stands firm. Alex Wharf is pretty adamant, but DRS says otherwise, with the ball having brushed Wyatt's glove.

Ball 17: Brave are in a hurry and want to get back to the Ageas. Mandhana has got in and now crashes the ball over long-on and into that crowd has been able to attend in Cardiff.

Ball 25: Forward, back: Mandhana has every shot. It is developing into a bit of a clinique as she picks up another four.

So many attempts for Alex Griffiths 😬#WelshFire | #SouthernBrave | #TheHundred 💯

📱 YouTube 👉 https://t.co/RA7VspXOpy pic.twitter.com/LaOq8gluGM

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 27, 2021

Ball 43: DOWN! Potentially a big moment. Nicole Havey is back for her second five and her eighth ball seduces a big slog from Mandhana, on 26, who doesn't get hold of it. Home town girl Alex Griffiths gets around but spills the first chance and can't control the second bite at the cherry.

Ball 56: This is developing into one of the knocks of the competition so far from the India batter. Mandhana advances again and thrashes it over the rope and into the crowd again.

Ball 76: Fifty for Mandhana as she gets an easy single through long-off. That drop on 26 looks like a huge moment now.

Ball 84: What a way to win it! Mandhana mashes her third maximum of the innings to clinch victory with 16 balls remaining. This has a walk in the park.

Smriti Mandhana 🙌#TheHundredpic.twitter.com/xMsuzK9sIW

— The Cricketer (@TheCricketerMag) July 27, 2021

"In the field the wicket was slightly slow but when we went to bat I found it was a good wicket to bat on," said Mandhana. 

"I took the first three or four balls to see how the wicket was playing and then just tried to play my shots. Today was all about the bowlers and fielders, not the batters. Setting 110, our bowlers and fielders were great.

"Lottie (Charlotte Edwards) has been great as a head coach. She's been in touch with the last month and when I came into the setup I didn't feel it was something new and felt I already knew all of the girls. Last two games, we just batted, bowled and fielded really well. I think the whole team has been great and I hope we keep going and reach the finals."

Welsh Fire skipper Sophie Luff added: "It is obviously disappointing but we have only played two games and we are learning all the time. Hopefully, we can really bounce back from our first two games and take some good learnings into Saturday.

"Not enough runs [in the first two games] and that has put our bowlers under pressure and made us work really hard with the ball. I thought we have stuck in there at times. Ultimately not enough runs. I think it is the middle phase of the game. We seem to have started quite well, it is just trying to create those partnerships."

Welsh Fire 110 off 100 balls

Southern Brave 111 off 84 balls

Southern Brave win!

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