Bell's Ice-Cold Nerve Seals Last-Ball Thriller for Southern Brave

Bell delivers on the last ball as Brave survive MI London's late surge

Lauren Bell had one delivery to decide everything. MI London needed to chase down a one-run deficit at the Utilita Bowl in Southampton, and the Southern Brave quick stood at the top of her mark with her team's unbeaten record on the line.

She delivered. A dot ball sealed a last-ball victory that kept Brave's 100% record intact in this year's edition of The Hundred.

The match had been tight throughout. MI London, growing into the tournament after a mixed start, matched Brave blow for blow through the middle overs. Their chase gathered real momentum in the final 20 balls, the required rate dropping as Brave's fielders scrambled on the boundary to defend a total that had looked safe.

Bell closes it out with six runs conceded in the final set

The equation when the final over arrived was simple: MI London needed seven or more to win, Brave needed to keep them to six or fewer. Bell had her captain in her ear and the crowd on its feet as she ran in.

The England seamer has built her reputation on pace and bounce. In the final moments, her accuracy mattered more. She conceded just six runs across the set, leaving MI London one short and the Utilita Bowl erupting.

That focus produced the result Brave needed: a dot off the final delivery, a defensive finish to a game that could have gone either way. The margin, when it settled, was a single run.

A home semi-final now in sight for unbeaten Brave

The win strengthens Brave's grip on a home semi-final spot. Bell now has another high-pressure performance on her record, defending a razor-thin total in front of a packed Southampton crowd.

For MI London, the defeat does not change their trajectory. They pushed the tournament's form team to the final delivery, a sign that their squad can compete with anyone in the competition.

Updated: 2026-07-27 - Added one-run margin of victory, six-run final over concession, and Utilita Bowl venue.