Southern Brave crush Oval Invincibles with record victory

The two-time winners are bowled out for their second-lowest total of 72 as Brave, who have now won five in a row, take a step towards the latter stages

ECB Media | 18/08/2025 at 17:25

Southampton: Southern Brave 161-6, Oval Invincibles 72 - Southern Brave won by 89 runs

Southern Brave produced a devastating all-round performance to inflict a record-breaking 89-run defeat on Oval Invincibles at Utilita Bowl to maintain their 100 per cent record and go top of the table.

Set 162 for victory, the Invincibles could only muster 72, never recovering from a two-wicket burst by Sophie Devine (2 for 15) in her opening set, the Kiwi castling Meg Lanning with a peach before sending Lauren Winfield-Hill on her way three balls later.

When Lauren Bell (2 for 11) struck with consecutive deliveries, utilising the short ball to great effect to induce edges from Alice Capsey and Paige Scholfield, the visitors slumped to 28 for 4, and they were eventually skittled in 83 balls, Mady Villiers picking up 3 for 17 with her off-breaks.

Earlier, England duo Maia Bouchier and Danni Wyatt-Hodge put on an opening stand of 59 after Brave were asked to bat, Bouchier the main aggressor in her innings of 34 from 23 before picking out Scholfield at deep mid-wicket to give Tash Farrant the breakthrough.

Wyatt-Hodge (26 from 24) was clean bowled by a Phoebe Franklin slower delivery, but Laura Wolvaardt kept up the momentum, the South African cruising to a 19-ball 36, including a slog-swept six off Amanda-Jade Wellington, but the Aussie leg-spinner had her revenge next ball when Lanning held on to a catch at extra-cover.

Freya Kemp was involved in a mix-up which saw Devine run out for 19, but the England starlet made amends with a sparky cameo, smashing two sixes in her 11-ball 24 to post a target which was well beyond the Invincibles' reach and set up a fifth straight victory for the 2023 champions.