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 16:09 British Summer Time 4 August 2023

    As Brave chase a record-equalling total, I'll hand you over to Timothy Abraham to take you through it.

  2. Postpublished at 16:06 British Summer Time 4 August 2023

    Thea Brookes
    Former Birmingham Phoenix all-rounder on BBC Radio

    What a performance from Welsh Fire. They will definitely be the happier of the two sides.

    Brave will be really disheartened with that but we know they've got a lot of batting. They differ from Fire in that, they have more explosive batters.

  3. Fire 165-3published at 100 balls

    Cut down to the point boundary, is the ball going to make the ropes? No - Maitlan Brown has cut it off and Fire run three.

    A four would have equalled the record score in the Women's Hundred, but that's still a fantastic score from Welsh Fire.

  4. Fire 162-3published at 99 balls

    Punched from Elwiss down the ground again, past the diving Mandhana for four more.

  5. Fire 158-3published at 98 balls

    Another four down the ground from Georgia Elwiss, advancing down the pitch.

  6. Fire 154-3published at 97 balls

    Bryce crouches and tries to cut hard but can only take another single.

  7. Fire 153-3published at 96 balls

    Elwiss takes a single to mid-wicket from Shrubsole's first delivery.

  8. Fire 152-3published at 95 balls

    Bryce tries to hit one over mid-on but can only find Maia Bouchier - just a single from Georgia Adams's final ball.

  9. Fire 150-3published at 93 balls

    Down the ground from Elwiss - one bounce and landing flat on the boundary for four!

  10. Fire 145-3published at 90 balls

    Two sets without boundaries as Chloe Tryon sees four singles go off her first four balls.

    This is still a formidable score, but Brave have done well to stem Fire in the back half of the innings.

  11. Fire 141-3published at 85 balls

    Did Bryce hit that?

    Kalea Moore's ball rears ups and Soulsby fumbles behind the stumps. Replays suggest she did get some bat on it.

    No boundaries from the bowling of Moore in this innings. She finishes on figures of 0-13 - she didn't even bowl in their first match.

  12. How's stat?!published at 15:55 British Summer Time 4 August 2023

    Georgia ElwissImage source, ECB

    Georgia Elwiss is likely to play an accumulation role for Fire with other players going harder around her.

    Elwiss strikes at 97 per 100 balls in T20s, and that is 94 against pace and almost 99 against spin.

    She averages the highest against right-arm pace so she might go harder at Anya Shrubsole, Mary Taylor and Maitlin Brown.

  13. Fire 137-3published at 80 balls

    Full toss from Georgia Adams and Bryce needs no excuse to whip her to the square leg boundary.

  14. Postpublished at 15:53 British Summer Time 4 August 2023

    Hayley Matthews has gone, but why not enjoy her bringing up her fifty with this clever shot?

  15. Fire 129-3published at 75 balls

    Sarah Bryce punches Mary Taylor to mid-wicket. It should be cut off by a diving Maia Bouchier, but the ball breaks through her and hits the sponge over the boundary rope.

    Bouchier is clutching her elbow - hopefully she's OK.

  16. Postpublished at 15:50 British Summer Time 4 August 2023

    Laura Harris only lasted seven balls but she hit four boundaries in that time.

    These two sixes were massive and gave us an indication of her power.

  17. Fire 122-3published at 70 balls

    Kalea Moore's good form continues as new batters Elwiss and Bryce can only get the three singles from her third set.

  18. Fire 119-3published at 65 balls

    Georgia Elwiss enters the fray for Fire, Tryon holds her and Sarah Bryce to two singles.

    Fire have had a formidable start, but Brave will at least like they have two new batters at the crease.

  19. Postpublished at 15:46 British Summer Time 4 August 2023

    Michael Carberry
    Ex-England batter on BBC Radio

    The momentum is starting to change.

    Hayley Matthews will be disappointed. She'll have wanted to stay in for another 10-15 balls to help her team-mate get settled at the crease.

    Credit to Brave, they are fighting back.

  20. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 15:45 British Summer Time 4 August 2023

    Matthews c & b Tyron 65 (Fire 117-3)

    No hundred for Matthews!

    She drops a simple catch back into the hands of Chloe Tryon for a simple caught and bowled.

    We did say she was vulnerable to spin - it just took a while...