SWINDON’S Lauren Bell continued her impressive The Hundred campaign by taking two wickets for Southern Brave as they beat bottom-placed Welsh Fire by 14 runs in a rain-affected match in Cardiff on Monday.
Bell enjoyed a first Test cap for England earlier in the summer, and the 21-year-old has maintained a strong season by collecting her fourth and fifth victims, respectively, of The Hundred earlier in the week.
Brave captain Anya Shrubsole took three wickets with the ball, while England star Sophia Dunkley made an impressive 49 as the visitors recorded a fourth straight win in the competition.
The hosts were bowled out for 108 and never looked like chasing down the target of 122 after openers Tammy Beaumont and Hayley Matthews were removed.
Amanda-Jade Wellington, the leading wicket-taker in the competition, moved her tally to eight after picking up one for 21 while Georgia Adams, who scored a quick-fire unbeaten 25 with the bat, also bowled superbly to take two wickets apiece.
Brave had got off to a quick start with the bat before Fire removed Smriti Mandhana for 13 and Danni Wyatt for 16 to prevent the Southampton-based side recording a fourth 50-run opening partnership in as many matches.
Fire’s Alex Hartley was excellent in the middle period and finished with one for 12 from her 20 balls to prevent Brave’s acceleration as key wickets fell at fairly consistent intervals.
Fire could have been looking at a much smaller chase but they produced some poor fielding that included a couple of simple dropped catches – one of which was knocked over the boundary rope for six by Annabel Sutherland.
Dunkley was put down on 12 before going on to top-score with a composed 49 from 43 and Adams, who was also dropped late on, played well for her unbeaten 25 from 16 at the back end of the innings to squeeze Brave to 122 for eight.
In reply, Beaumont was caught off the bowling of Bell for nine and Matthews struggled to get going before being caught at slip for a run-a-ball 20 off the in-form Wellington.
Brave used the drying pitch effectively to pick up consistent wickets throughout and leave Fire 108 all out.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here