Southern Brave beat Birmingham Phoenix by 15 runs at the Utilita Bowl in The Hundred.

Phoenix won the toss and opted to field. But Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s 59 from 39 balls was the foundation for the Brave’s total of 139, ably supported by Laura Wolvaardt (28) and Sophie Devine (27).

After a good start from the Brave, Phoenix came back into the first innings. They restrained the home side in the last 25 balls, just as Brave were threatening to rack up a big score. That fight back was led by Megan Schutt (2-23 from 20 balls) and then Em Arlott (2-19 from 20 balls) at the death, as Brave faltered to 139 with only 19 of their runs coming from the last 15 balls.

In the run chase, Southern Brave took the early wickets of Emma Lamb and Georgia Voll. Ellyse Perry and Amy Jones then steadied the ship and looked comfortable in their efforts to knock off the total. When Jones was out for 20, Sterre Kalis took over the charge to the finish, with Phoenix needing 45 from the final 30 balls.

However, when Perry was caught well in the deep by Villiers for 26 from 21 balls, Kalis accelerated but ultimately ran out of support, and Phoenix were bowled out with two balls to spare, 15 short of the finish line.

The Brave bowling performance was headlined by Lauren Bell taking 3-17 from 19 balls, with Devine 2-28 and Tilly Corteen-Coleman 2-16 also doing the damage.

Perrin the difference as young star sees Superchargers home

Eighteen-year-old Davina Perrin continued her impressive domestic form with a sparkling 42-ball 70 as her Northern Superchargers overpowered Trent Rockets.

It was Perrin’s first half-century in The Hundred, and the second-highest score by a female English player uncapped at international level. More importantly for Perrin and her side, it took them to the top of the table with two wins from two.

It was a dominant performance from the team in purple, who were on top straight away and rarely let their foot off the gas, save some customary excellence from Trent Rockets skipper Ash Gardner.

The Superchargers had Rockets at 5-3 after 18 balls and right up against it, Gardner did her thing to fight back with a 32-ball 61 but it was essentially a lone hand and her side’s eventual total of 128 felt light at a sun-dappled Trent Bridge.

Perrin dominated the opening partnership of 62 with Alice Davidson-Richards (11 off 20) and entertained the crowd throughout, with strong shots all around the wicket and even a one-handed scoop. Phoebe Litchfield matched her stroke for stroke with her 10-ball 22 and Annabel Sutherland (18 off 11) finished things off in a fittingly creative way, reverse-sweeping through the off-side.

It was a performance of great promise from the Superchargers who will feel they’re laying down a marker, for Rockets the need to get a win on the board is getting ever greater.

How do matches work?

• One hundred balls a side, the team with the most runs wins. It is as simple as that.
• Five bowlers can bowl up to 20 balls in an innings, including five or 10 in a row.
• The traditional six-ball overs seen in other forms of cricket are not used in The Hundred, with 10 balls bowled before a change of ends.
• The powerplay is for the first 25 balls of an innings, with only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle.
• A 25-ball-a-side game is the minimum length that can be played in the event of wet weather.

What’s next?

Manchester Originals will welcome London Spirit to Emirates Old Trafford on Monday (3pm start), with Oval Invincibles heading to Edgbaston to play Birmingham Phoenix on Tuesday (3pm start).

Welsh Fire are back in action on Wednesday August 13 as they host Originals (women’s match at 3pm, men’s match at 6.30pm). Earlier that day Southern Brave take on Northern Superchargers (11.30am start).

Watch every match across the women’s and men’s competitions live on Sky Sports from August 5-31