Southern Brave preserved their flawless start to the tournament with a commanding 24-run victory against Birmingham Phoenix in a clash of top versus bottom standings. The win marked Brave’s fourth consecutive win, while Phoenix remains winless and entrenched at the bottom of the table. Chasing 141, Phoenix initially showed promise with Tammy Beaumont and Davina Perrin reaching 50 from 37 balls before a strategic timeout proved pivotal. Following the break, the innings collapsed as Beaumont departed for 22 off 23 balls, and Perrin followed soon after, unable to convert her 40-ball half-century into a meaningful chase. Sophie Molineux and Tilly Courteen-Coleman capitalized on the instability, each claiming two wickets to secure Brave’s dominance.
Earlier, Lizelle Lee ignited the Brave’s innings with explosive powerplay hitting, smashing 43 runs off 23 balls, including the match’s only two sixes. Maia Bouchier complemented theonblast, scoring 45 off 31 balls, while Jemimah Rodrigues sealed the total with three boundaries in the final overs. Despite Perrin’s resilience in evading three catches, her dismissal to Sarah Glenn’s leg-spin ended Phoenix’s hopes. Brave’s bowlers, led by Molineux’s disciplined spell, restricted Phoenix to 116, proving decisive in securing another comfortable win.
“I think it was better to bat against the new ball out there. It came off the wicket a bit easier and as soon as the ball got a bit softer, it became harder to play,” said Meerkat Match Hero Lizelle Lee. “So I think our batters did really well at the end there to get us up to a good score, and I think that’s what set us apart. Our bowlers are not getting enough credit. They’ve bowled extremely well, they get us out of everything. Everyone’s gelling pretty well and we seem to be able to get over the line in tough situations. Sophie Molineux as captain is such a calm presence on the field and I feel that is flowing into everybody, and it shows.”
