‘A proper complete performance’ – Dunkley’s half-century keeps Southern Brave on top of the women’s Hundred table

Sophia Dunkley. Photo by Harry Trump/Getty Images.

Needing to score 89 from 75 balls after the Superchargers’ push for a competitive target was curtailed by rain, Dunkley and Maia Boucher got their side over the line with 13 deliveries to spare, writes IAIN McCULLOUGH.

Dunkley smashed five fours and two sixes with Bouchier hitting an unbeaten 33 as the Brave got off to a horrendous start with openers Smriti Mandhana and Danni Wyatt falling for one and two respectively as the hosts slumped to 5-2.

West Indies star Stefanie Richards then fell for a duck when she was bowled by Kalea Moore to leave the home side reeling at 26-3.

But Dunkley and Bouchier steadied the ship in impressive fashion to ease their side to a fifth win of the season with a 63-run stand.

After losing the toss and being put in to bat, the Superchargers started well with skipper Lauren Winfield-Hill and Jemimah Rodrigues putting on 33 for the first wicket.

But Winfield fell for a run-a-ball 14 when she was caught behind by Carla Rudd off Tara Norris with Rodrigues, the competition’s top run scorer, perishing for 18 shortly after when Bouchier took a sharp catch off Lauren Bell.

Laura Wolvaardt was unbeaten on 21 and Alice-Davidson-Richards 17 when heavy rain brought proceedings to a halt for an hour and the Brave easily chased down their truncated target to extend their lead at the top of the table.

Dunkley said: ‘Obviously having lost our last game and not performing to our best we just wanted to go out there and out on a performance.

‘I don’t think we have had a proper complete performance out there yet until today.

‘We bowled well and to chase down the target comfortably was very pleasing. We came out and bowled well up top and put them under pressure and took the momentum into our batting.

‘It was a nice wicket to bat on once you got in and me and Maia (Bouchier) ran really well together and that put them under pressure in the field.’

Brave next face Welsh Fire at The Ageas Bowl on Wednesday.