Southern Brave (159 from 94 balls) overcame London Spirit (155 from 100 balls) by six wickets at the Ageas Bowl on Friday; Beth Mooney set the tone for the Spirit with a women’s Hundred record score of 97; Danni Wyatt’s quickfire 65 from 34 balls helped propel the hosts to victory
Last Updated: 12/08/22 6:59pm
Danni Wyatt’s 65 helped propel Southern Brave to victory
Beth Mooney’s highest score by a woman in The Hundred was not enough for London Spirit against Southern Brave as Danni Wyatt helped the hosts chase down the target of 156 to win by six wickets at the Ageas Bowl…
Story of the game
Australia star Mooney had bludgeoned an unbeaten 97 from 55 balls on her Spirit debut to post the highest individual score in the women’s Hundred.
But Wyatt belted 65 from just 34 deliveries as the Brave reached a challenging target of 156 with six balls to spare at the Ageas Bowl.
Wyatt’s England team-mate Sophia Dunkley guided her side home after the opener, having struck 12 fours and two sixes, and was run out with a classy unbeaten 34.
Wyatt had kept Brave in the game with a series of eye-catching early shots as her side reached 42 for no wicket by the end of the 25-ball powerplay.
India international opener Smriti Mandhana, dropped on five, gradually grew in confidence, belting a towering six off New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr, but she was caught soon after when trying to repeat the shot off the impressive Dani Gibson.
Wyatt continued to attack, reaching her third career 50 in The Hundred with a massive maximum off Kerr and the 31-year-old smashed new Spirit captain Charlie Dean for three consecutive fours as the Brave moved ahead of the rate at the halfway stage.
London Spirit 155-4 from 100 balls – Jade-Wellington (3-30 from 20 balls); Mooney (97 from 55 balls).
Southern Brave 159-4 from 94 balls – Gibson (2-27 from 20 balls); Wyatt (65 from 34 balls).
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Wyatt’s run out, followed by the dismissal of Maia Bouchier two balls later, looked like it could be a turning point, but Dunkley took over where Wyatt left off and Freya Kemp won the game with her second six.
Earlier, Mooney dominated an opening stand of 36 with Grace Scrivens, who was bowled for one by Georgia Adams. The loss of her opening partner did not seem to affect the Commonwealth Games gold medallist, who continued to play aggressively alongside new batter Kerr.
Kerr, dropped by Bouchier on 13, played the perfect supporting role with a fluent 37 as the Spirit put the home side under severe pressure.
Mooney reached fifty from 32 balls shortly after Brave captain Anya Shrubsole called a time-out in an attempt to slow the Spirit’s momentum and continued to put the bowlers to the sword, hitting Amanda-Jade Wellington for consecutive boundaries.
Beth Mooney set the record for the highest women’s score in The Hundred with 97 for London Spirit
Wellington, Brave’s leading wicket-taker in last year’s Hundred, recovered well later in the set as she got Kerr caught behind following a review and it soon got even better for Brave and the dangerous Gibson was out the very next ball after she could only loop up a return catch to Wellington.
Even two wickets in two balls did not stop Mooney, who passed Jemimah Rodrigues’ previous record score of 92 not out with an edge for four past wicketkeeper Carla Rudd.
Though the Australia international was left three short of her century after only managing two from the final ball, her scintillating innings helped the Spirit to a seemingly imposing total. However, Wyatt and the Brave had other ideas.
Hero of the Match, Danni Wyatt (65 from 34 balls, 12×4, 2×6)
“I’m really happy to have contributed to a win and just to get the win on the board is really pleasing. My job at the top is to go out there and be brave and fearless, and if it’s in my area go for it.
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Following Southern Braves’ victory over London Spirit, player of the match Danny Wyatt says that a win on the board ‘is pleasing’
“It’s a great start. Beth Mooney batted exceptionally today and we knew it was going to take one of us to go out there and do what she did.”
What they said
Southern Brave captain Anya Shrubsole: “Beth Mooney was outstanding, and she makes you feel as a captain and a bowler you don’t have a clue where to put your fielders out. But Danni showed what a good track it was, and I’m really pleased to get a win.
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Following her side’s victory over London Spirit Southern Brave captain Anya Shrubsole says her side is ‘really pleased to get a win’
“We go again against Oval on Sunday. It’s a quick turnaround and it’s quite a warm few days as well, but it’s exciting.”
What’s next?
Both teams are away in their next matches on Sunday, with the London Spirit making the trip to the Northern Superchargers for a match at Headingley which gets under way at 11am.
Superchargers vs Spirit
August 14, 2022, 10:30am
Live on 
Invincibles vs Brave
August 14, 2022, 2:00pm
Live on 
Meanwhile, the Southern Brave travel to London for a showdown with the Oval Invincibles later in the day. That match begins at 2.30pm.
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