Smriti hammers 78 to lead Southern Brave Women to win

Southampton, Aug 11 (IANS) Indian women's team opener Smriti Mandhana hammered 52-ball 78 to help Southern Brave Women beat Welsh Fire Women by 39 runs in The Hundred tournament here at Hampshire Bowl on Wednesday.

Smriti hit three sixes and seven fours during her stay to help her side score 166/3 in the allotted 100 balls. She shared a 107-run partnership for the first wicket with opener Danielle Wyatt (53 off 34 balls, 8x4s, 1x6).

Welsh Fire Women could make only 127/4.

The 25-year-old Smriti scored unbeaten 61 in only her second match of the tournament but then had a string of poor scores -- 5, 3, 19 and 1. However, Wednesday's knock brings her back into form and into seventh place among the top-scorers in the tournament.

Smriti, who was declared player of the match on Wednesday, now has 167 runs at an average of 27.83 from seven matches.

Another Indian women's team player Jemimah Rodrigues, who is representing Northern Superchargers Women, leads the run charts in the women's competition of The Hundred with 241 runs at an average of 60.25.