Twitter Reactions: Southern Brave strengthen top spot hold after Sophia Dunkely’s heroics

The Southern Brave took one more step towards qualifying for the playoffs in the Women’s Hundred. On Saturday, August 7, the team, led by Anya Shrubsole, beat Northern Superchargers by seven wickets- DLS Method- with 13 balls to spare. Sophia Dunkley’s masterful knock in the run-chase meant that the Brave secured 10 points and garner a decent net run rate of 1.432.

Superchargers huff and puff before the rain interruption

After being inserted into bat first, the Superchargers could never get going. Lauren Winfield and Jemimah Rodrigues put on 33 for the opening wicket. Tara Norris separated the duo, getting rid of Winfield, who hit a six to her run-a-ball 14. Rodrigues was coasting along at 18 off as many balls with three fours. To her dismay, the in-form batter perished to Lauren Bell in the 38th ball of the innings.

Bell also accounted for the wicket of Bess Heath, who failed to get into the double digits. From there on, Laura Wolvaardt and Alice Davidson Richards tried to resurrect the innings. They stitched together a 35-run stand off 23 balls. Even as Wolvaardt was batting at 21, Richards was going at 17. However, rain interrupted play and the Superchargers ended their innings with 76 off 73 balls.

Dunkley rises with the bat

Going by the DLS Method, the Brave were set a revised target of 89 runs off 75 balls. They got off to a horrendous start as both Danielle Wyatt and Smriti Mandhana failed to open their accounts. Kalea Moore got rid of Wyatt in the sixth ball after which Mandhana got run out. West Indies’ Stafanie Taylor couldn’t open her account in six balls as Moore picked up her second wicket a while later.

However, Sophia Dunkley and Maia Boucher didn’t let the pressure build on the Brave. The duo stitched together an unbeaten 63-run stand off 35 balls to power the Brave to victory. Dunkley showed excellent form as she stayed unbeaten on 50 off 28 with five fours and two sixes. Boucher was equally impressive as she lent Dunkley support, having scored 33 off 19 with four fours.

Here’s how the netizens reacted to Southern Brave’s win at the Rose Bowl

💥 1 run needed to win.
💥 1 run needed to score fifty runs.@dunkleysophia guides Southern Brave to an emphatic win! 😎 #TheHundred pic.twitter.com/WysQuaQw9d

— The Hundred (@thehundred) August 7, 2021

Sophia Dunkley has been awarded as the player of the match for her 50*(28) vs the Northern Superchargers.#TheHundred #TheHundred2021

— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) August 7, 2021

Dunkleyyyy!!! And Bouchier!!!💚🖤 Can see a lot of Charlotte Edwards' grit in the girls!! Woo! #TheHundred #SouthernBrave

— Niranjana (@niramen26) August 7, 2021

#TheHundred Dunkley and Bouchier pull off this wonderful win for the Southern Brave. Three big wickets but it was not over until Northern Super Chargers got Dunkley and with Bounchier, she pulled off the big win and deserved that half century.

— Bala Yogesh (@Yo_Bala) August 7, 2021

#cricket #TheHundred Brave have won by seven wickets with 13 balls to spare. Dunkley 50* off 28 balls, Bouchier 33* off 19 balls carrying them to the win.

— Thomas Sutcliffe (@aspitweets) August 7, 2021

Maia Bouchier doing her job superbly in all aspects, including getting Dunkley on strike to hit the winning run and reach her half-century. What is it about Charlotte Edwards led domestic teams…just brilliant #TheHundred

— Kalika (@Journo_K) August 7, 2021

#TheHundred How impressive has been the Southern Brave line up this season. Match winners all around. They had a loss the other night but came back strongly here against another team at the top of the table

— Bala Yogesh (@Yo_Bala) August 7, 2021