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The 32nd match of The Hundred Women’s 2025 at Southampton’s Rose Bowl witnessed Southern Brave‘s emphatic 29-run victory over Welsh Fire, but one delivery stood out as a masterclass in spin bowling artistry. Hayley Matthews‘ perfectly flighted off-break that claimed Maia Bouchier‘s wicket demonstrated why the West Indian all-rounder has become one of the most feared bowlers in the tournament.
Hayley Matthews deceives Maia Bouchier with a stunning off-break
The dismissal occurred during a tense period when Southern Brave had managed just 5 runs for 1 wicket, with Bouchier looking to ease the mounting pressure through aggressive batting. Matthews, bowling her signature off-breaks, had already established a tight line and length that was making scoring increasingly difficult for the home side’s batters.
The delivery itself was a thing of beauty – Matthews slowed the ball down considerably, reading Bouchier’s intentions perfectly as the English batter attempted a sweep shot to find the boundary and release some pressure. The reduced pace caught Bouchier completely off-guard, and she missed the ball entirely, allowing it to crash into her stumps. The dismissal left Bouchier with a modest 2 runs from 7 balls, having faced 6 minutes at the crease with a strike rate of just 28.57.
Matthews’ spell was part of an outstanding tournament performance where she finished with figures of 2 wickets for 16 runs from her 20 balls, maintaining an impressive economy rate of 0.80 runs per ball. Her bowling statistics throughout The Hundred 2025 showcase her consistency, with 10 wickets from 5 matches at an average of 9.20 and a strike rate of 11.40.
Here’s the video:
Hayley Matthews gets the breakthrough! 👊#TheHundred pic.twitter.com/m3bWaII61o
— The Hundred (@thehundred) August 28, 2025
Also READ: Southern Brave complete flawless league run to reach women’s The Hundred final
Southern Brave’s unbeaten streak continues in The Hundred Women’s 2025
While Matthews’ individual brilliance caught the eye, it was Southern Brave who ultimately claimed the victory that sealed their historic 100% league record – the first team ever to achieve this feat in The Hundred. Captain Georgia Adams‘ unbeaten 30 from 26 balls proved crucial in lifting the team to a competitive total of 106 for 8, though the innings was marked by early struggles that saw them lose wickets at regular intervals.
The chase never really got going for Welsh Fire, despite Tammy Beaumont‘s fighting knock of 28 from 33 balls. The pressure applied by Southern Brave’s bowling attack, led by the phenomenal Lauren Bell who claimed 4 wickets for just 6 runs, proved too much for the visitors. Bell’s performance earned her the Player of the Match award and made her the tournament’s leading wicket-taker.
The collapse was dramatic – Welsh Fire slumped from 50 for 1 to 56 for 5 in just 13 deliveries, losing four wickets for six runs as the slow Southampton pitch made strokeplay increasingly difficult. The final total of 77 for 9 represented a comprehensive failure with the bat, as they lost eight wickets for just 27 runs in their pursuit of 107.
The victory maintained Southern Brave’s position at the top of the table and secured their place in the final, while Welsh Fire’s tournament came to an end with this defeat. The match flow showed the dominance of the bowlers throughout, with both powerplays producing modest returns and run-scoring proving challenging on a surface that favoured the slower bowlers.
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This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
