Southern Brave posted 126 for 7 (Wolvardt 45*, Lee 31, Graham 3‑14) overcame Welsh Fire‘s 118 for 8 (Voll 52, Kemp 39, Molineux 3‑14) by eight runs
Welsh Fire relinquished five wickets for just six runs in 13 balls, allowing Southern Brave’s 126 for 7 to secure a narrow victory at Utilita Bowl.
Lauren Bell and Tilly Corteen-Coleman initially steadied the hosts, but Australia and Brave captain Sophie Molineux, fresh from winning the T20 World Cup just weeks earlier, starred with figures of 3 for 14 that proved decisive.
Fire skipper Sophie Devine won the toss and elected to bowl first, giving Brave the advantage of batting on the pitch. Heather Graham dismissed Maia Bouchier with her opening delivery, the first of four wickets, but Lizelle Lee and her South African teammate Laura Wolvaardt steadied the innings, taking the score to 54 from 45 balls before Lee was caught long‑on.
Welsh Fire lost Ella McCaughan immediately, bowled by Molineux, but Georgia Voll and Freya Kemp, fresh from her standout World Cup performance, accelerated the chase, taking the visitors to 80 for 1 after 59 balls, seemingly in control.
However, the momentum shifted. Rodrigues executed a direct hit to run Kemp out, Molineux claimed the crucial wicket of Devine, and the Fire’s nerves were frayed. When Corteen‑Coleman dismissed Voll, caught by Bouchier for a 39‑ball 52, the game swung back into balance.
Bell then took two wickets in three balls, leaving 16 runs needed off the final 10 balls. Molineux’s tactical acumen restricted the opposition to three runs off the next five deliveries, and it fell to Corteen‑Coleman to finish the chase, steering the team to victory in the closing stages.
