Brave clinch Spirit victory in Hundred curtain-raiser
By Connor Steel
SOUTHERN BRAVE opened their Hundred 2024 campaign with a brilliant home success as they hosted London Spirit on Wednesday evening; which saw the team complete a comfortable seven wicket victory after a superb and attacking all-round display enjoyed by thousands of supporters at the Utilita Bowl despite overcast and grey ‘summer’ conditions.
The hosts began brilliantly and got an opening wicket in just three balls as Jamie Coles removed Adam Rossington (1); the batter being caught by Craig Overton in the deep. Overton then took centre stage with the next three wickets as he dismissed Daniel Bell-Drummond, Michael Pepper and Ravi Bopara in a furious spell of bowling; leaving Spirit on 43-4.
A fifth wicket arrived when Shimron Hetymer (5) was removed by Tymal Mills to make it 49-5; Dan Laurence and Andre Russell helping Spirit “recover” briefly with a set of boundaries including a maximum. But Jofra Archer was looking very dangerous and took the wicket of Russell (13), before Laurence was trapped LBW to make it 95-7 with twenty balls left.
Nathan Ellis was the eighth wicket to fall and this proved to set ‘partner’ Liam Dawson into life on 102-8 with seventeen deliveries remaining; the batsman stroking two fours to add some lone resistance. And despite the ninth wicket to fall in Ollie Stone, Dawson added fourteen runs featuring a maximum in just three balls as Spirit ended on the score of 136-9.
London Spirit’s newly found optimism was short-lived as James Vince hit four boundaries from his first five balls; which featured two well hit shots over the outfield. He was joined by ‘left-hander’ Daniel Hughes at the crease and his partner showed great control in hitting 2 big maximums alongside six fours; this pair scoring ninety-five runs in fifty-seven balls.
The opening partnership was ended when Hughes nicked Bopara behind the stumps for forty-five runs; Vince showing no signs of concern as he reached his fifth half-century in Hundred competition history. But the batsman wasn’t able to continue as he played a lofted shot that was caught at long-off; the score now 117-2 with just twenty-two for the victory.
Leus du Plooy blasted a ‘straight’ maximum off Ellis on his way to twenty-three unbeaten runs off nineteen balls; which included some brilliant running between the wicket alongside Alex Davies. And despite Davies departing for one whilst driving a delivery from the Australian bowler; Brave completed a comfortable win as they won with 11 balls outstanding.
A winning start for Southern Brave will set them in good stead for their campaign as they look to ‘reclaim’ their title won back in 2021; which will be ultimately decided in the finale at Lords on August 18. Their next two matches will see them travel to play Northern Superchargers in Leeds before hosting the Manchester Originals on August 1 at the Utilita Bowl.
PICTURED BY ALAMY (2XKW003): Liam Dawson strokes shot towards the boundary in final stages of Spirit’s innings.
