Brave begin post-Edwards era with convincing win

Southern Brave started life after Charlotte Edwards with a convincing win over Manchester Originals at Emirates Old Trafford.

The damage was all done with the ball, as Lauren Bell took 3 for 28 and Mady Villiers 2 for 19 to limit the hosts to just 95 for 8 from their 100 balls.

Seren Smale fought a lone hand for Originals on a wicket that none of her team-mates ever looked at home on, making 40 from 34 balls to give her side the faintest hope at the halfway mark but no side has ever defended fewer than 109 in the Hundred women's competition and their total never looked like enough.

And while Brave were rarely fluent, they were always comfortable - easing to a six-wicket win with 11 balls to spare. Former Originals batter Laura Wolvaardt, a direct signing for Southern Brave this season, showed her old team what they were missing with an assured and unbeaten 42.

She was supported by Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who made 32, as Brave's batting line-up eased over the line in first gear. Having endured a surprising eighth-placed finish last summer, with just one win, Brave - and their new head coach Luke Williams in particular - will have been pleased to start the campaign with a victory.

For Originals it was a disappointing start to the season and, Smale's innings aside, a day of few positives - they'll hope to demonstrate it was mere blip next time out at the Kia Oval on Saturday.

Meerkat Match Hero Bell said: "It's great to get our first win on the board. In tournament cricket it's really important to get a good start, and it was a good team performance.

"The girls stuck in. The wicket was a bit tricky but we've got a great line-up and the batters did the job. We've had a lot of really good chats about being really confident, backing our strengths, and having fun out there."