Brave thrash Invincibles to lead Hundred table

The Hundred women's competition, Southampton

Southern Brave 161-6 (100 balls): Wolvaardt 36 (19); Franklin 2-28

Oval Invincibles 72 all out (83 balls): Wellington 18 (18); Villiers 3-17

Southern Brave won by 89 runs

Scorecard. Table

Southern Brave thrashed Oval Invincibles by 89 runs, the biggest margin in terms of runs in the history of The Hundred's women's competition, to move clear at the top of table.

Their fifth win from five matches broke a record that was only set on Sunday, when London Spirit beat Birmingham Phoenix by 88 runs.

Brave's formidable top-order of Maia Bouchier (34), Danni Wyatt-Hodge (26) and Laura Wolvaardt (36) propelled them to a strong 161-6, while Mady Villiers took 3-17 as the visiting side were bowled out for 72.

Invincibles, who chose to chase at the toss, struggled in pursuit of their target, losing openers Lauren Winfield-Hill and Meg Lanning in the space of three Sophie Devine balls inside the powerplay.

Bell then removed her international team-mates Alice Capsey and Paige Scholfield with successive deliveries, before Villiers accounted for Marizanne Kapp and Phoebe Franklin to leave Invincibles 43-6.

Amanda-Jade Wellington offered some element of resistance, scoring an unbeaten run-a-ball 18, but no other Invincibles batter passed 10.

Debutant Daisy Gibb was the last batter to fall, caught by Villiers off Georgia Adams, bringing Invincibles' dismal effort to an end with 17 balls to spare.

Brave now sit top of standings outright with 20 points, having previously been behind London Spirit on net run-rate, while Invincibles remain in fifth.

Brave set strong marker

Brave have returned to form in 2025 and are the only unbeaten team in either edition of The Hundred this season.

The Southampton-based side reached the final in the first three editions of the women's tournament, winning in 2023, but suffered a dismal 2024, winning just once as they finished bottom of the standings.

They lost their first two finals to the Invincibles, but have always enjoyed their group-stage matches against the London side, winning their four previous encounters.

They were immediately in a strong position to maintain their winning run as openers Bouchier and Wyatt-Hodge put on an opening partnership of 59.

Bouchier started her season with three single-figure scores, but her fortunes now appear to have turned after a 30-ball 42 against Trent Rockets on Saturday.

Meanwhile South Africa captain Wolvaardt made her fourth score over 25 in five matches, while Freya Kemp struck back-to-back sixes in an 11-ball 24.

In defence of their total, Lauren Bell moved top of the tournament's wicket-taking charts outright with 12, while Sophie Devine's dismissal of Winfield-Hill and Lanning was the fourth time she had removed two batters in the space of a set of five deliveries this season.

It was a performance that set a strong marker for their challengers at the top of the table, with three matches left to play in the group stage.

What is happening on Tuesday?

We travel to Trent Bridge on Tuesday for a double-header between Trent Rockets and Manchester Originals.

The women's game starts at 15:00 BST, while the men's match begins at 18:30.

You will be able to watch both games lives on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer, while you can also follow ball-by-ball commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app.