Summary

  • Use the audio icon at the top of the page to listen to BBC 5 Sports Extra commentary

  • Hayley Matthews defends eight off final set as Fire beat Brave by four runs

  • Brave 162-3: Mandhana 71* (42), Wyatt 67 (37); Griffiths 2-26

  • Fire 165-3: Matthews 65 (38), Elwiss 28 (20), Beaumont 26 (17)

  • Fire's total is the second-highest in The Hundred women's competition

  • Brave win toss and bowl

  • Southern Brave beat Trent Rockets in their opening game

  • Welsh Fire's match against Manchester Originals was washed out

  1. Postpublished at 16:49 British Summer Time 4 August 2023

    Take note: bowl a full toss to Danni Wyatt and she will punish you.

  2. drinks break

    Strategic timeoutpublished at 16:48 British Summer Time 4 August 2023

    Perhaps wanting to kill some of Southern Brave's momentum Welsh Fire call for the timeout to realign their plans.

  3. Postpublished at 16:47 British Summer Time 4 August 2023

    Simon Mann
    BBC Test Match Special commentator

    You'd still want to be in Welsh Fire's camp at the moment.

    It's good to hear that cheer for Alex Hartley even though she's on the opposition.

  4. Brave 62-0published at 60 balls left

    Target 166

    Alex Hartley's left-arm spin is next.

    Danni Wyatt is eager to strike her across the line, and waspishly whips Hartley's second ball to the boundary for four.

    Seven runs off Hartley's set.

  5. dropped catch

    Wyatt dropped on 30published at 67 balls left

    Claire Nicholas is given a caught-and-bowled chance by Danni Wyatt but she cannot hold on.

  6. Brave 48-0published at 70 balls left

    Freya Davies is thrown the ball as Welsh Fire search for a breakthrough, but Danni Wyatt looks in scintillating form with back-to-back boundaries.

    There's a lot of bottom hand as she biffs it over extra cover then chips Davies over mid-on.

  7. How's stat?!published at 16:37 British Summer Time 4 August 2023

    Danni Wyatt and Smriti MandhanaImage source, Getty Images

    At the start of the innings WinViz was 89-11 in Fire's favour.

    It's closing in.

    It's currently 68-32 in the visitors' favour.

  8. Postpublished at 16:37 British Summer Time 4 August 2023

    Thea Brookes
    Former Birmingham Phoenix all-rounder on BBC Radio

    Do NOT bowl there to Danni Wyatt. She never misses out on a full toss.

  9. 6 runs

    Brave 39-0published at 75 balls left

    Danni WyattImage source, PA Media

    Hayley Matthews gets her length all wrong and the pugnacious Danni Wyatt wallops a full toss from West Indies international over the boundary at cow corner.

    Either side of that six Wyatt had picked up fours through fine leg and worked behind square.

  10. Brave 24-0published at 80 balls left

    More spin in the form of Claire Nicholas whose second ball is emphatically thrashed behind point for four by Danni Wyatt.

    There's a hint of a run out off the last ball of the set as Wyatt tales a risky single, but the throw misses the stumps.

  11. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 16:31 British Summer Time 4 August 2023

    #bbccricket

    Craig Ellicott: With Dunkley to come into the lineup as well, Welsh Fire are surely top three contenders this year? Top four of Beaumont, Matthews, Dunkley and L Harris is as good as anything else around.

  12. Brave 18-0published at 85 balls left

    Shabnim Ismail bustles into the crease and bangs it in short at 74mph. Danni Wyatt just about manages to fend it off to the leg side.

    That got big on England batter Wyatt.

    Final ball of the set, though, and Smriti Mandhana gets a good stride in and heaves Ismail for a one-bounce four.

  13. How's stat?!published at 16:27 British Summer Time 4 August 2023

    Smriti MandhanaImage source, ECB

    It's not a surprise to see Fire turning to Hayley Matthews early.

    It's a role she's used to filling but Smriti Mandhana also has a potential weakness against off-spin.

    The left-hander averages 24.53 against that type of bowling.

    All other types, apart from left-arm pace, she's in the 30s.

  14. Brave 12-0published at 90 balls left

    Smriti MandhanaImage source, PA Media

    Spin at the start for Welsh Fire as Hayley Matthews, bowling with a cap on, wheels away round the wicket.

    The left-handed Smriti Mandhana attempts to slog sweep her second ball and misses it. The ball straightens but just misses the stumps. Matthews has her head in her hands.

    A couple of balls later and Mandhana rocks on to the back foot and pulls Matthews for four.

  15. Brave 6-0published at 95 balls left

    Smriti Mandhana gets the Brave's response off to a positive start by thumping Shabnim Ismail square of the wicket for four.

    Nice shot.

  16. Postpublished at 16:21 British Summer Time 4 August 2023

    Smriti Mandhana is on strike. Shabnim Ismail will start with the ball for Welsh Fire.

  17. Postpublished at 16:20 British Summer Time 4 August 2023

    Thea Brookes
    Former Birmingham Phoenix all-rounder on BBC Radio

    It was an amazing effort from Welsh Fire.

    Everyone has made a contribution and that's brilliant.

    Laura Harris' innings and strike-rate was sensational.

  18. Postpublished at 16:20 British Summer Time 4 August 2023

    Pyrotechnics aplenty as Welsh Fire sprint out into a field before reassembling in a team huddle.

    They look pumped up.

    Danni Wyatt and Smriti Mandhana decidedly make a slightly more low-key entry.

  19. Postpublished at 16:13 British Summer Time 4 August 2023

    This was an absolutely brilliant piece of fielding from Maia Bouchier to run out Laura Harris, by the way.

    It was needed too because Harris was causing plenty of damage.

  20. Postpublished at 16:10 British Summer Time 4 August 2023

    Thanks Mike.

    The average first-innings score at the Rose Bowl in The Hundred is 133 and the average winning score is 138.

    Advantage Welsh Fire, then, it would seem.