Southern Brave Triumph with Wyatt’s Heroics in Rain-Hit Clash
Southern Brave, the defending champions of The Hundred, secured their first victory of the 2023 season with a seven-wicket triumph over Oval Invincibles in a rain-affected encounter. England star Danni Wyatt played a pivotal role in the victory, guiding her team to the target with an unbeaten 46 from 37 deliveries.
Wyatt’s innings was characterized by resilience, as she twice survived being dropped by the Invincibles fielders. Her knock included four boundaries and a six, and she played a crucial role in anchoring the Brave’s chase.
The Invincibles, who were put into bat, struggled to gain momentum due to the impressive bowling of Lauren Cheatle and Tilly Corteen-Coleman. Cheatle dismissed Chamari Athapaththu for a duck and Alice Capsey for 16, while Corteen-Coleman accounted for Lauren Winfield-Hill and Paige Scholfield.
Marizanne Kapp provided some late resistance for the Invincibles, scoring an unbeaten 26 from 17 balls. However, the Brave’s bowlers kept the Invincibles in check, restricting them to a total of 79 for 4 from their allotted 65 balls.
With a revised target of 83 set by the DLS method, the Brave began their chase cautiously. Smriti Mandhana was run out cheaply, while Maia Bouchier was bowled by Ryana MacDonald-Gay.
Wyatt, however, remained unfazed and played a composed innings. She received support from Freya Kemp (14) and Chloe Tryon (10), but it was her experience and composure that ultimately guided the Brave to victory.
In the final over, Wyatt faced a tense situation with five runs needed from five balls. She calmly dispatched Sophia Smale over the leg side for the winning boundary, securing a much-needed victory for the Brave.
