Southern Brave made it four out of four in The Hundred 2025 at Trent Bridge on Saturday, winning with 2 balls to spare against Trent Rockets. Although they had six wickets in hand the home side fought hard defending their 106 all out total but the experience of Sophie Devine 41 (42 balls) guided them home.
Taking Centre stage was Tilly Corteen Coleman, the mature 17-year-old left arm spinner. She made an instant impact on the game by dismissing opening batter Bryony Smith (10) and England captain Nat Sciver Brunt for a second ball duck in her first set. She finished with figures of 4/13 with 14 dots in her 20-ball spell.
Two of her victims, Sciver Brunt and Heather Graham were stumped by Rhianna Southby who she praised after the game. “She’s unbelievable, I heard one of the commentators say she’s the best in the country and I wouldn’t disagree, she’s got such fast hands and got me two of my wickets today” said Corteen Coleman.
The chances of the game going deep appeared remote when the Trent Rockets slumped to 55/8 off 55 balls. Along with Corteen Coleman, England opening bowler Lauren Bell 3/16 did the damage on an overcast East Midlands Day. When Bell dismissed Ash Gardner, for 25 (16) she became the first bowler to take 50 wickets in the Women’s Hundred. Saturday was her third 3 wicket haul in this campaign.
However, Aussie leg spinner Alana King 24 not out (23) and Kirstie Gordon 32 (27) gave the score some credibility adding 51 for the ninth wicket before the latter was out with one ball to go. Gordon’s score was her highest in The Hundred.
In a mirror image of the hosts innings Southern Brave slumped to 10/2. Danni Wyatt Hodge (4) was run out after a mix up with Maia Bouchier while Laura Wolvaardt (1) was well caught in the deep by Sciver Brunt off Gordon
Sophie Devine joined Bouchier, and they added 69 for the 3rd wicket to regain the visitor’s stranglehold of the game. Bouchier dismissal for 42 (30) after 79 balls disrupted Brave’s race to victory but while Devine was there a win for the visitors looked a formality. When 22 were still required with 15 balls to go Trent Rockets still had a small chance, and this year’s tournament has already featured some nail biters in the women’s competition. However, Devine held her nerve and with the help of Freya Kemp (14) edged Southern Brave home in the last set.
“Fair play to Sophie she anchored that middle order well and got them over the line really well.
“We probably lost that game in the first 50 or 60 balls of our innings. You are not going to win many games from that position. I thought a par score was 130, certainly less than what we’ve seen from other venues, maybe even 120. We got close defending a hundred,” said Gordon.
What a difference a year makes. Finalists in 2021 and 2022, Champions in 2023, Southern Brave’s campaign last year unexpectedly produced only one victory and a bottom placed finish. Now four wins in a row normal service has resumed. The Brave could take a lot of stopping. Momentum is with them and in Corteen Coleman and Bell they have a pair of bowlers at the top of their game.
“I think cricket’s a game that ebbs and flows, obviously last year really didn’t go our way, so we had a lot to prove this year, but I think we are on the way to doing that. Four from four hopefully make it five from five, make it to the eliminator, the final and get that win” said Corteen Coleman.
As for Trent Rockets, when asked if they needed to win all their remaining four games Gordon emphatically replied “absolutely” That task begins on Tuesday with a home game against Manchester Originals another side in need of four points.
The sun failed to appear as promised at Trent Bridge on Saturday, but a 17-year-old future England star was glowing at the end as she left the field
Player of the match – Tilly Corteen Coleman – She has now taken 8 wickets in the tournament. Her control was exemplary and supported by the excellent glovework of Southby they pose a threat to any batter.
Southern Brave 109/4 beat Trent Rockets 106 all out by 6 wickets