Georgia Adams’ brilliant bowling and Maia Bouchier’s batting set up Southern Brave’s third victory of the women’s Hundred competition as they defeated London Spirit by five wickets at Lord’s.
Off-spinner Adams finished with figures of four for 11, the joint second-best in the tournament so far, to restrict the home side to 104 for five from 85 balls in a rain-reduced match.
Bouchier, who had scored 31 runs on Sunday, once again guided the Brave to the win with an undefeated 63 from 42. She completed the victory when she steered Danielle Gibson to the boundary with three balls to spare.
Spirit, who finally took to the field after their first two games had been abandoned due to rain, saw leg-spinner Sarah Glenn take three for 15 after captain Heather Knight struck 44 from 27 balls.
Southern Brave gained immediate reward for their decision to bowl first when Lauren Bell removed Grace Harris with a vicious inswinger in the opening set of five.
Bell then almost picked up the valuable wicket of Knight, whose inside edge flew just past the stumps. But the Spirit captain survived to build a partnership of 45 from 30 balls with Gibson.
Gibson had looked in good touch as she reached 28 from 20 but then dragged one back unto her stumps attempting to sweep Adams.
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Southern Brave’s Maia Bouchier hits the stumps with her long-range throw to dismiss Welsh Fire’s Laura Harris for 20
Adams then removed Ameilia Kerr, caught at mid-off, and had Richa Ghosh neatly taken on the boundary by Bouchier diving forward.
Knight held the Spirit innings together using the reverse sweep to good effect against the spinners and looked set to reach her fifty, however she eventually became Adams’ final victim when caught on the boundary.
Spirit’s bid to defend their total began strongly as Gibson captured the prize wicket of the tournament’s top run-scorer Smriti Mandhana, who was caught in the deep for a duck.
However Danni Wyatt and Bouchier were in an aggressive mood during the powerplay, with Wyatt hammering successive fours off Lauren Filer as the pair added 38 from 27.
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Southern Brave’s Maia Bouchier reflects on a successful game against the London Spirit
Leg-spinner Glenn made the breakthrough as Wyatt skied to mid-on, but Bouchier continued to advance quickly, punishing short deliveries to move Brave closer to their target.
Glenn struck back with two wickets in three balls as Adams lifted her to the long-on fielder and Freya Kemp edged behind with 32 still required.
Charlie Dean removed the dangerous Chloe Tryon soon afterwards, but Maitlan Brown steadied matters with an unbeaten 15 from nine balls, helping Bouchier to take her side across the line, ending the game with three balls to spare.
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