Laura Wolvaardt Leads Southern Brave to Comfortable Win Over Manchester Originals in Hundred 2025

On August 6, 2025, Old Trafford was electric, and the cheers echoed through the Manchester evening for the second match of The Hundred Women’s Competition. Southern Brave (Women) put on a show, chasing down Manchester Originals (Women)’s modest 96 runs in just 89 balls to clinch a 6-wicket victory. Laura Wolvaardt’s cool-headed, unbeaten knock and Lauren Bell’s scorching bowling, which earned her Player of the Match, were the heart of the Brave’s dominance. This game was a statement of Southern Brave’s firepower and a wake-up call for the Originals, who struggled to find their spark.

Manchester Originals (Women) Innings

Southern Brave’s captain called it right at the toss, choosing to bowl first, and her bowlers hit the ground running, putting Manchester Originals in a spin from the get-go. The Originals limped to 95 for 8 in their 100 balls, caught off guard by Brave’s relentless attack. Their innings was a tale of early stumbles, broken partnerships, and a late fight that couldn’t quite pull them out of the hole.

Seren Smale with the reverse sweep 🧹#TheHundred pic.twitter.com/UindgRRe9R

— The Hundred (@thehundred) August 6, 2025

The Originals’ batting fell apart almost instantly. Kathryn Bryce, striding out to open, was back in the dugout for a duck on the third ball, her stumps rattled by Lauren Bell, who came out like a storm with her pace and swing. Bell’s opening spell was pure fire, making the batters second-guess every shot. Beth Mooney, the Originals’ captain and go-to batter, couldn’t steady the ship, scratching out just 1 run off 6 balls before Danni Wyatt pouched a catch off Mady Villiers’ bowling on the 12th ball. Losing Mooney so early was like a punch to the gut for the Originals.

Amelia Kerr, the Kiwi all-rounder with a knack for turning games, tried to dig in, cracking 14 runs off 14 balls with a couple of sweet boundaries. She looked like she might pull things back, but on the 25th ball, Chloe Tryon snapped up a catch off Bell’s bowling, leaving the Originals at a shaky 23 for 3. Deandra Dottin, the big-hitting star everyone was watching, walked into a wave of expectation, but her fireworks fizzled. She managed 8 runs off 8 balls before Tilly Corteen-Coleman, barely out of her teens, bowled her with a gem that showed her cool head.

Eve Jones, tasked with holding things together, grafted 7 runs off 8 balls but was undone by a stunning caught-and-bowled from Villiers on the 41st ball, leaving the Originals at 39 for 5. The middle order kept crumbling as Alice Monaghan was run out for 5 off 4 balls, thanks to Wyatt’s quick hands and Rhianna Southby’s sharp work behind the stumps. Fi Morris, who could’ve been a game-changer, barely got going, scratching out 1 run off 7 balls before Bell claimed her with another caught-and-bowled.

By the 64th ball, the Originals were reeling at 54 for 7. Sophie Ecclestone, the world-class spinner, stepped up but could only manage 3 runs off 5 balls before Georgia Adams bowled her. At 66 for 8 after 74 balls, the Originals were staring at a total that wouldn’t even touch triple digits. Then came Seren Smale, who played like she had ice in her veins, carving out an unbeaten 40 off 34 balls with four boundaries. Her smart, steady batting, picking gaps, and keeping her cool gave the Originals something to cling to. Danielle Gregory hung in there with an unbeaten 8 off 12 balls, and together they nudged the score to 95 for 8.

Southern Brave’s bowlers were on a mission. Lauren Bell was the ringleader, tearing through with 3 wickets for 28 runs in her 20 balls, her swing and accuracy making life miserable for the batters. Mady Villiers backed her up with 2 wickets for 19 runs, while Corteen-Coleman and Adams each nabbed one scalp. Sophie Devine and Chloe Tryon kept things tight, leaking just 17 and 9 runs respectively, without taking wickets. The bowlers were stingy, conceding only 8 extras (6 wides, 2 leg byes), and held the Originals to a run-per-ball rate of 0.95.

We've reached the end of Manchester Originals' innings, and 95 is the score to chase 👀 pic.twitter.com/M0VqS94Go6

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 6, 2025

The Originals’ innings were a struggle from start to finish. Smale’s grit was the one bright spot, but losing big names like Mooney, Kerr, and Dottin early, plus the constant fall of wickets, left them with a total that looked like easy pickings for Southern Brave’s batting lineup. They just couldn’t find their groove or make the most of any loose balls.

Southern Brave (Women) Innings

Chasing 96 in 100 balls, Southern Brave played it smart and steady, wrapping up the win in 89 balls with 6 wickets to spare. Laura Wolvaardt’s unbeaten 42 was the glue that held the chase together, with Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s quickfire 32 setting the tone. Even with a few wickets falling, Brave never looked rattled, cruising to victory with confidence.

A Sophie Ecclestone special 🌪️#TheHundred pic.twitter.com/h1tOIicF33

— The Hundred (@thehundred) August 6, 2025

Maia Bouchier and Danni Wyatt-Hodge kicked things off at the top. Bouchier showed some early promise but was out for 6 off 8 balls on the 14th ball, caught by Sophie Ecclestone off Deandra Dottin’s bowling. In came Wolvaardt, who settled in quickly alongside Wyatt-Hodge, who was swinging with intent. The pair put on a cracking 48-run stand, taking Brave to 48 for 1 by the 40th ball when the strategic timeout hit. Wyatt-Hodge was in top gear, smashing 32 off 27 balls with five boundaries before Ecclestone bowled her on the 50th ball. Her cameo gave Brave the early momentum it needed.

Sophie Devine, the veteran all-rounder, joined Wolvaardt but was gone for a duck off two balls, caught by Amelia Kerr off Danielle Gregory’s bowling on the 54th ball. At 64 for 3, the Originals sniffed a chance, but Wolvaardt wasn’t fazed. Freya Kemp came in and played a solid supporting role, making 7 off 10 balls before Ecclestone caught her off Kerr’s bowling on the 77th ball. Brave were 80 for 4, just 16 runs shy with 23 balls left, and the game was theirs to lose.

Wolvaardt, all class and calm, steered the chase home alongside Chloe Tryon, who finished unbeaten on 5 off 5 balls with a boundary to her name. Wolvaardt’s 42 not out off 37 balls, with six crisp boundaries, was a thing of beauty, measured yet punishing when it needed to be. She kept the scoreboard moving and pounced on anything loose, ensuring the Braves stayed on track. They hit 96 for 4 in 89 balls, sealing a 6-wicket win with 11 balls to spare.

The Originals’ bowlers gave it their all but were fighting a losing battle with such a small total. Sophie Ecclestone was their best, snagging 1 wicket for 24 runs in her 20 balls, while Amelia Kerr also took a wicket for 20 runs. Deandra Dottin and Danielle Gregory each grabbed one wicket, but they couldn’t build enough pressure. Mahika Gaur bowled neatly, giving away 18 runs in 15 balls, but went wicketless. The Originals’ fielding was on point, with Ecclestone taking two catches, but without more runs to defend, they were always up against it.

The perfect start for Southern Brave in their #TheHundred 2025 campaign 💚 pic.twitter.com/6x6BwdOp7i

— The Hundred (@thehundred) August 6, 2025

A big moment came on the 59th ball when the Originals tried their luck with a DRS review on Wolvaardt’s wicket. The umpire’s call stood, and Wolvaardt carried on, anchoring the chase. Brave’s run rate of 1.07 per ball edged out the Originals’ 0.95, showing their control. They scored 28 for 1 in the powerplay and reached 50 in just 42 balls, always looking to close the game out early.

TCNI’s Magic Moment of the Game

Lauren Bell was a force of nature, earning the TCNI Magic Moment of the Game for a spell that had the Originals on the ropes. Her 3 wickets for 28 runs in 20 balls, with an economy of 1.40, were pure class.

Lauren Bell strikes early for Southern Brave in their first game of #TheHundred 2025 ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/joGhWiYhcw

— The Hundred (@thehundred) August 6, 2025

She bowled 11 dot balls, keeping the batters guessing. Bell struck gold early, sending Kathryn Bryce back for a duck on the third ball, and later took out Amelia Kerr (14) and Fi Morris (1). Her tight lines and swing were unplayable, setting up Brave’s dominance by holding the Originals to 95 for 8.

TCNI’s Hero of the Day

Laura Wolvaardt was Southern Brave’s rock, earning the TCNI Hero of the Day for her match-winning knock. Her unbeaten 42 off 37 balls, with six boundaries and a strike rate of 113.51, was the backbone of the 96-run chase.

Six boundaries, pure elegance — Laura Wolvaardt's 42* takes Brave home! 🏏#CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/RMxntgPG7H

— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) August 6, 2025

Coming in after Maia Bouchier’s quick exit for 6, Wolvaardt kept her cool through Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s 32 and Sophie Devine’s duck. Even when Freya Kemp fell for 7, Wolvaardt stood firm against Ecclestone and Kerr, guiding Brave to victory in 89 balls with poise and precision.