Bryce hits maiden fifty to send Welsh Fire top

Sarah BryceImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Sarah Bryce hit three fours and the game's only six

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The Hundred women's competition, Trent Bridge

Trent Rockets 130-5 (100 balls): Sciver-Brunt 37 (26); Jonassen 2-29

Welsh Fire 131-4 (98 balls): Bryce 51* (39); Sciver-Brunt 2-32

Welsh Fire won by six wickets

Scorecard. Table

Sarah Bryce hit her maiden half-century in The Hundred to pilot Welsh Fire to a six-wicket win over Trent Rockets that moved them to the top of the table in the women's competition.

The 24-year-old keeper-batter was unbeaten on 51 off 39 balls as Fire chased down their target of 131 with two deliveries to spare.

Bryce's smart stumping had ended Rockets' top scorer Nat Sciver-Brunt's knock of 37, as the home side posted a total of 130-5.

Jess Jonassen was the pick of Fire's bowlers with 2-29, and the Australian's 26 in a 38-run partnership with Bryce was a vital part of the run chase.

Nat Wraith, Ash Gardner and Heather Graham could not capitalise on good starts in the Rockets' innings, and Bryce was alert enough behind the stumps to catch home skipper Sciver-Brunt out of her ground off Jonassen's bowling.

Mistakes from several Rockets fielders in the closing stages helped Bryce and Georgia Elwiss, who grabbed 18 off 15 balls, to help Fire to their third win of the 2024 competition.

What else do you need to know?

  • Sarah Bryce surpassed her previous highest score in The Hundred of 44

  • Trent Rockets openers Bryony Smith and Grace Scrivens were both out first ball, the fifth time this has happened to a side's openers in The Hundred women's competition

  • Welsh Fire have won both of their away matches

  • Trent Rockets have now lost their past three matches

  • The crowd of 10,693 was a Trent Bridge record for a women's game in The Hundred.

'Winning is a habit' what they said

Hero of the match Sarah Bryce: "I knew that if we built a partnership, there were runs out there to be had, there were big pockets. We did that well at the end with Georgia, she's a great runner and we were able to do that.

"It is massive for our confidence. They say winning is a habit, we have had some tight games and different people have stood up at different times. As a team, that is very exciting going forward in this tournament."

Rockets captain Nat Sciver-Brunt: "We didn't have that clarity of thought in the key moments. They put us under so much pressure with their running, we found when we were batting that when a partnership came together it was hard to get momentum."

What is happening on Sunday?

There are four matches in The Hundred on Sunday,

London Spirit host Oval Invincibles (women's at 11:00 BST, men's at 14:30) at Lord's while Northern Superchargers (women at 14:30 and men at 18:00) welcome Manchester Originals to Headingley.

You can follow commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app.

You will also be able to watch Spirit v Invincibles in the men's competition live on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer and via the BBC Sport website with coverage starting at 14:15.