Welsh Fire Women produced a brilliant performance to beat Southern Brave Women by four wickets in Match 19 of The Hundred Women’s Competition 2026 at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.
Chasing a target of 122, Fire reached 122/6 from their 100 balls, with the winning runs coming off the very last delivery of the match. All-rounder Heather Graham delivered an outstanding all-round performance, picking up two wickets before finishing unbeaten with the bat to guide her side home. Her match-winning contribution earned her the Player of the Match award and helped Welsh Fire register one of their biggest wins of the season.
Southern Brave Women won the toss and decided to bat first, hoping to continue their unbeaten run in the competition. However, Welsh Fire’s bowlers kept things tight right from the beginning and never allowed the Brave batters to settle. Wickets fell at regular intervals, making it difficult for the visitors to build any big partnerships. Although Southern Brave managed to bat through their 100 balls, they finished with 121/5, a total that looked competitive but far from unbeatable on a good batting surface.
The innings began in the worst possible way for Southern Brave as Grace Potts struck twice during the powerplay. Lizelle Lee was dismissed for a duck after being caught by Georgia Wareham, while Maia Bouchier followed soon after for just six runs. Those early wickets reduced Southern Brave to 9/2, forcing their experienced middle order to rebuild instead of playing freely. Welsh Fire’s disciplined bowling ensured there was no easy scoring during the opening stages.
Laura Wolvaardt once again showed why she has been one of Southern Brave’s most dependable batters this season. She played a calm and composed innings of 48 from 45 balls, hitting six boundaries and holding the innings together. She found good support from Jemimah Rodrigues, who scored 25 from 21 deliveries, striking three fours during a useful partnership. Together, they steadied the innings after the early collapse, but neither batter was able to stay long enough to push the total beyond 120.
Captain Sophie Molineux added 12 runs, while Jodi Grewcock remained unbeaten on 13 from 9 balls to provide some late momentum. Naomi Dattani chipped in with four not out as Southern Brave closed their innings on 121/5 from their allotted 100 balls. Even though they recovered well after losing early wickets, the lack of a big finish meant they were left with a total that still gave Welsh Fire a realistic chance of chasing it down.
Welsh Fire’s bowling effort was one of the biggest reasons behind the victory. Grace Potts was outstanding with the new ball, finishing with 2 wickets for 14 runs and removing both opening batters. Heather Graham matched her effort by claiming 2/23, while Sophia Smale, Orla Prendergast and Georgia Wareham bowled disciplined spells to keep the pressure on throughout the innings. Their combined performance ensured Southern Brave were never able to score quickly during the final stages.
The chase did not begin smoothly for Welsh Fire either. Georgia Voll made 11 before becoming Tilly Corteen-Coleman’s first wicket, while Ella McCaughan and Freya Kemp also departed cheaply. The early wickets put Fire under pressure, and when captain Georgia Wareham was dismissed for 16, the required runs still looked difficult to achieve. Southern Brave sensed an opportunity and continued to attack with their bowlers.
At that stage, Heather Graham produced the innings that completely changed the match. Showing great patience and confidence, she remained unbeaten on 35 from 28 balls, keeping the chase under control despite the pressure. She was well supported by Grace Thompson, who contributed 16 from 12 balls, before Niamh Holland played a valuable unbeaten knock of 12 from 8 deliveries. Their partnerships helped Welsh Fire stay in the contest until the final moments.
Southern Brave refused to give up and fought hard until the last ball. Tilly Corteen-Coleman was the pick of their bowlers with 3 wickets for 27 runs, while Issy Wong finished with 2/17 and Lauren Bell claimed one wicket. Their efforts kept the match alive throughout the chase, but Heather Graham stayed calm under pressure and made sure Welsh Fire crossed the line with the final delivery to complete a memorable last-ball victory.
The result had an important impact on the points table. Welsh Fire Women climbed to fourth place with 8 points from 5 matches, giving themselves fresh confidence after a difficult run of results and keeping their hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive. Southern Brave Women remain at the top of the standings with 20 points from 6 matches, despite suffering their first defeat of the season. While Brave continue to lead the competition, Welsh Fire have shown they are still very much in the race for a place in the knockout stages after this impressive victory.
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