Welsh Fire secured a dominant nine-wicket win over Southern Brave, with Hayley Matthews delivering an outstanding all-round performance at the Utilita Bowl. This convincing victory ensured Welsh Fire finished at the top of the standings, securing their spot in the Hundred’s final at Lord's on Sunday.
Matthews, opening the bowling, was exceptional, taking 4 for 14 with her off-spin. She followed this up with an unbeaten 35, complementing Tammy Beaumont's 59 not out off 40 balls, as Welsh Fire comfortably chased down the target with 26 balls to spare.
This victory put Welsh Fire in a strong position, with their superior net run rate giving them a significant advantage to finish at the top of the table and automatically qualify for their first Hundred final. Their place in the final was confirmed later that afternoon when Oval Invincibles failed to chase down their target of 92 runs within 58 balls against Trent Rockets, which would have allowed them to surpass Welsh Fire on net run rate.
Reflecting on the team’s performance, Matthews said that the team's experience and well-rounded performances have been key to their success. She praised the bowlers for consistently keeping the opposition's totals manageable, allowing the team to chase down targets comfortably.
After Beaumont chose to field first, Matthews struck early, removing the in-form Danni Wyatt, caught at deep midwicket. Four balls later, Smriti Mandhana was dismissed by the pace of Shabnim Ismail, leaving Southern Brave struggling at 15 for 2 at the end of the powerplay.
Southern Brave's troubles continued as Jess Jonassen had Georgia Adams stumped, and Matthews claimed her second wicket when Maia Bouchier was brilliantly caught by Phoebe Franklin in the deep. The wickets kept falling, with Freya Kemp edging an arm-ball from Jonassen, Naomi Dattani being bowled by a beauty from Matthews, and Kalea Moore being stumped two balls later, leaving Southern Brave reeling at 47 for 7.
Chloe Tryon provided a lone resistance with a spirited 55 off 38 balls, hitting boundaries down the ground and through the covers, and adding 52 runs with keeper-bat Rhianna Southby. However, their efforts were not enough to challenge Welsh Fire’s strong start.
In reply, Welsh Fire began solidly, posting 34 runs before losing Sophia Dunkley to the final ball of the power play. Beaumont was particularly effective, punishing any loose deliveries with sweeps and cuts, while Matthews found the gaps behind square. Beaumont reached her half-century in just 31 balls, and together with Matthews, the pair added 72 runs off 54 deliveries, ensuring Welsh Fire’s seamless progression to the later stages of the competition.