Welsh Fire will feel this one got away from them.

Cruising towards victory in their opening match of the Hundred season at the Utilita Bowl, Fire shipped five wickets for just six runs in the space of 13 balls, allowing Southern Brave to defend a modest 126 for 7 and take the points.

For long periods the chase looked comfortably in Fire’s control, but a ruthless late spell from an experienced Brave attack turned the game on its head in a matter of overs.

Fire captain Sophie Devine won the toss and opted to bowl first.

Heather Graham made the perfect start, removing Maia Bouchier with her very first ball of the innings – the opening wicket in what became a four-for for the seamer.

South African pair Lizelle Lee and Laura Wolvaardt then steadied things, taking Brave to 54 from 45 balls before Lee holed out to long-on.

India’s Jemimah Rodrigues came and went cheaply, though Molineux injected some late momentum and Wolvaardt continued to accumulate.

A cluster of wickets late in the innings, however, meant Fire would have gone into the break the happier of the two sides.

The chase started brightly for the Welsh side… until it didn’t.

Ella McCaughan fell in the early stages, bowled by Molineux, but Georgia Voll and Freya Kemp, fresh off a standout World Cup campaign, took the game away with a rapid stand that had Fire sitting pretty at 80 for 1 after 59 balls.

That’s when the game turned. Rodrigues produced a superb direct hit to run out Kemp, Molineux then removed the dangerous Devine, and suddenly Fire’s chase was unravelling.

When Corteen-Coleman had Voll caught by Bouchier – the Australian departing for a well-made 52 off 39 balls – the contest was back in the balance.

Bell then struck twice in three balls to leave Fire needing 16 from the final 10 deliveries.

Molineux showed her experience by conceding just three off the next five balls, before Corteen-Coleman held her nerve to see out the final over and complete a remarkable turnaround for Southern Brave.

It was Australian World Cup winner and Brave captain Molineux, lifting the T20 World Cup trophy just a fortnight ago, who proved the difference, her figures of 3 for 14 ultimately deciding the contest.

“It was a great win in front of our home crowd,” Molineux said afterwards.

“We clawed our way back and it was really pleasing. It’d be nice if we could take some catches, but we should not read too much into that and just crack on.”

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