Women's Hundred 2026, SB-W vs WF-W 2nd Match Match Report, July 22, 2026

Welsh Fire lost five wickets for six runs in 13 balls to see their opening game of the Hundred season slip from their grasp at Utilita Bowl, as Southern Brave’s total of 126 for 7 proved just enough to clinch the points.

The Fire had controlled the chase but with the end in sight they were squeezed mercilessly by an experienced Brave bowling attack.

Lauren Bell and Tilly Corteen-Coleman initially dragged things back for the hosts, but it was Australia and Brave captain Sophie Molineux, who lifted the T20 World Cup just two weeks ago, who was the star with her 3 for 14 proving match-winning.

“It was a great win in front of our home crowd,” Molineux said. “We clawed our way back and it was really pleasing… It’d be nice if we could take some catches, but we should not read too much into that and just crack on.”

Fire skipper Sophie Devine won the toss and gave Brave first use of the pitch. Heather Graham dismissed Maia Bouchier with her very first delivery, the first of her four wickets, but Lizelle Lee and her South African team-mate Laura Wolvaardt then took the score to 54 from 45 balls before Lee skied to long-on.

Indian star Jemimah Rodrigues came and went but Molineux gave the innings momentum while Wolvaardt ticked along steadily, although a flurry of wickets towards the end meant Welsh Fire would have been the happier of the two sides going into the break.

Wesh Fire lost Ella McCaughan immediately, bowled by Molineux, but Georgia Voll and Freya Kemp, fresh from her standout World Cup, accelerated nicely to have the visitors 80 for 1 from 59 balls, with the game seemingly in their hands.

But then things started to happen. Rodrigues pulled off a direct hit to run Kemp out, Molineux got the big wicket of Devine and the Fire’s nerves were jangling. When Corteen-Coleman had Voll caught by Bouchier for a 39-ball 52 the game was right back in the balance.

Bell then picked up two wickets in three balls to leave 16 needed from 10. Molineux’s smarts saw her concede three off the next five and it was left to Corteen-Coleman to seal the deal, seeing the game out at the death.

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