Southern Brave have secured a place in the knockout stage of The Hundred Women’s Competition 2026 after another strong league campaign.
Led by Sophie Molineux, Brave won five of their first seven matches before ending the league stage with three consecutive defeats. Despite that late dip, their early consistency was enough to secure a place in the Eliminator.
With the title now only two wins away, Southern Brave will hope to rediscover the form that made them one of the strongest teams during the first half of the competition.
Five Straight Wins Build Strong Foundation
Southern Brave opened their campaign with an eight-run victory over Welsh Fire in Southampton on July 22.
They followed that with a five-wicket win against Sunrisers Leeds before edging MI London by just one run in another close contest.
Their winning streak continued with a comfortable 24-run victory over Birmingham Phoenix and a five-wicket success against London Spirit at Lord’s.
Five victories from their opening five matches placed Southern Brave in an excellent position and demonstrated their ability to win both tight contests and more comfortable games.
Late Defeats Expose Areas to Improve
The unbeaten run ended on August 3 when Welsh Fire chased down the target with four wickets remaining in Cardiff.
Southern Brave then suffered a 27-run defeat against Manchester Super Giants before losing their final league match to Trent Rockets by three wickets.
Those defeats highlighted areas the team will need to improve before the Eliminator, particularly with the bat and during key moments late in matches.
However, their five early victories ensured they had already done enough to qualify.
Laura Wolvaardt Leads the Batting
Laura Wolvaardt has been Southern Brave’s leading run-scorer, making 197 runs across seven matches.
Her ability to anchor the innings has provided stability at the top, while Maia Bouchier has contributed 147 runs and added more aggression to the batting unit.
Jemimah Rodrigues was another key player during the league stage, scoring 143 runs at a strike rate of 131.19 and winning back-to-back Player of the Match awards.
However, her campaign ended early because of a hamstring injury.
Australian all-rounder Charli Knott was brought in as Rodrigues’ injury replacement and gives Southern Brave another option with both bat and ball.
Molineux Leads Strong Bowling Attack
Bowling has been one of Southern Brave’s biggest strengths.
Captain Sophie Molineux has taken 11 wickets at an economy rate of 5.61, while young spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman has also claimed 11 wickets.
Issy Wong has added eight wickets, while Lauren Bell and Sarah Glenn provide further quality and experience.
The variety of pace and spin gives Southern Brave several options depending on conditions and opposition.
Experience Could Prove Crucial
Southern Brave possess plenty of international experience throughout the squad.
Wolvaardt, Molineux, Bouchier, Bell and Glenn have all played at the highest level and understand how to handle pressure in major matches.
That experience could become especially valuable in the Eliminator, where one poor passage of play can end a team’s tournament.
The squad also has enough depth to adjust its playing XI based on conditions, with attacking batters, all-round options and a varied bowling unit.
Can Southern Brave Reclaim the Trophy?
Southern Brave finished their league campaign with five wins and three defeats.
Their recent form has been less convincing than their excellent start, but the quality within the squad remains clear.
If Wolvaardt and Bouchier can provide strong starts and the bowling attack led by Molineux continues to take wickets regularly, Brave have the tools required to reach the final.
The absence of Rodrigues is a major setback, but the arrival of Knott gives the side an additional all-round option.
Southern Brave have already shown they can beat strong opposition and handle pressure. Their next challenge is to produce that level of performance again when the stakes are highest.
Southern Brave Road to the Eliminator
- July 22: Beat Welsh Fire by 8 runs
- July 25: Beat Sunrisers Leeds by 5 wickets
- July 27: Beat MI London by 1 run
- July 30: Beat Birmingham Phoenix by 24 runs
- August 1: Beat London Spirit by 5 wickets
- August 3: Lost to Welsh Fire by 4 wickets
- August 8: Lost to Manchester Super Giants by 27 runs
- August 10: Lost to Trent Rockets by 3 wickets
- August 14: Eliminator
- August 16: Final, if qualified
Southern Brave Squad
Sophie Molineux (C), Laura Wolvaardt, Maia Bouchier, Lizelle Lee, Phoebe Franklin, Rebecca Odgers (WK), Charli Knott, Naomi Dattani, Katherine Fraser, Sarah Glenn, Jodi Grewcock, Ellie Anderson, Lauren Bell, Tilly Corteen-Coleman, Daisy Gibb, Issy Wong.
