Southern Brave made it four wins from four in The Hundred's women's competition, beating Birmingham Phoenix by 24 runs at the Utilita Bowl to move six points clear at the top of the table. Phoenix, still searching for momentum, remained rooted to the bottom. BBC Sport

The Hundred — cricket's 100-ball-per-side format — compresses each innings into rapid-fire sets of five balls from one end, then five from the other. Brave used their allocation efficiently, posting 140 for 3 from their 100 balls.

Openers Maia Bouchier and Lizelle Lee set the platform with a 68-run partnership. Bouchier top-scored with 45 from 31 balls, striking cleanly through the off side and working the gaps in the fielding-restricted opening overs known as the powerplay. Lauren Filer, bowling for Phoenix, managed the only breakthrough among the top order, finishing with 1 for 22.

Jemimah Rodrigues arrived late and stayed unbeaten on 18, keeping the scoreboard ticking so Brave reached a total that demanded Phoenix chase at well over a run per ball from the outset.

Phoenix's reply began promisingly. Davina Perrin and Tammy Beaumont put on 73 for the first wicket, the kind of stand that makes a chase look manageable. Beaumont fell for 22, caught by Rodrigues off Tilly Corteen-Coleman, and from there the required rate — the pace at which a team needs to score to reach the target — began to climb.

Perrin carried the fight, reaching 52 from 43 balls before she was caught off Sarah Glenn's bowling. Once she departed, the middle order faltered. Alice Capsey managed only 8 before being caught off Lauren Bell. Laura Wolvaardt, stumped off Alana King for 11, could not provide the late acceleration Phoenix needed.

Then came the blow that settled it. Sophie Molineux removed Annerie Dercksen and Jemima Spence with consecutive deliveries — back-to-back wickets that left Phoenix reeling at 116 for 5, where they finished. Molineux returned figures of 2 for 24, while Bell (1 for 16) and Corteen-Coleman (1 for 19) kept things tight throughout.

For Brave, the result confirms their status as the team to beat. A six-point cushion over second-placed Manchester Originals gives them breathing room as the tournament approaches its knockout stages. For Phoenix, the table makes grim reading: still bottom, still searching for a complete performance.