The Cricket Standard Logo

The Cricket Standard

SOB-W vs BPH-W: Preview, Pitch, Key Match-ups, Fantasy Picks

The Cricket Times Desk
August 9, 2025
4 min read
_Southern-Brave-Women-and-Birmingham-Phoenix-Women
📰News

SOB-W vs BPH-W, The Hundred 2025: Preview, Pitch, Key Match-ups and Dream11 Fantasy Picks

Southern Brave Women host Birmingham Phoenix Women at The Rose Bowl, Southampton, on August 10 (3:30 PM IST), in an early-season game that can set the tone for both teams in The Hundred 2025. Brave arrive confident after a strong opening win, while Phoenix, under Ellyse Perry’s leadership, have refreshed their core and started positively. Expect a high-skill, high-tempo contest with star power on both sides.

Match essentials

  • Fixture: Southern Brave Women vs Birmingham Phoenix Women, Match 7, The Hundred 2025.

  • Date & time: Sunday, August 10; 3:30 PM IST / 10:00 AM GMT / 11:00 AM local.

  • Venue: The Rose Bowl (Ageas Bowl), Southampton.

  • H2H: Played 6 – Brave 5, Phoenix 1 (no NR).

Form and storyline

  • Southern Brave: Led by Georgia Adams, Brave began 2025 with a commanding win over Manchester Originals, built around disciplined new-ball bowling and top-order control from their internationals.

  • Phoenix: Finished 7th last season but have hit reset with Ali Maiden as coach and a strengthened overseas core (Perry, Schutt, Georgia Voll) alongside Amy Jones and Emma Lamb; the squad balance already showed in their bright start this year.

Pitch and conditions: Rose Bowl, Southampton

  • Nature: Generally good for batting in white-ball cricket with consistent bounce; new ball offers some nibble, but strokeplay improves as the innings progresses.

  • Par/target: Competitive first-innings totals typically 140–150 in the women’s competition; chasing is often viable if dew settles in late evening.

Tip: Powerplay discipline is key; 30–35 in the first 25 balls without early damage sets up 140+ here.

Probable XIs (based on squads/roles)

Southern Brave Women

  • Georgia Adams (c), Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Laura Wolvaardt, Maia Bouchier, Sophie Devine, Chloe Tryon, Freya Kemp, Mady Villiers, Rhianna Southby (wk), Lauren Bell, Phoebe Graham/Josie Groves.

Birmingham Phoenix Women

  • Ellyse Perry (c), Amy Jones (wk), Emma Lamb, Georgia Voll, Sterre Kalis, Eve Jones, Emily Arlott, Megan Schutt, Hannah Baker, Katie George, Issy Wong/Bethan Ellis.

Note: Phoenix combinations may rotate one of the seamers/spinners depending on surface and match-ups.

Key match-ups

  • Lauren Bell vs Amy Jones: Bell’s wobble-seam in the first 10 balls vs Jones’ busy starts can tilt the powerplay either way.

  • Sophie Devine vs Megan Schutt: Long-time international foes; Schutt’s swing and change-ups vs Devine’s power through mid-wicket and straight.

  • Georgia Adams vs Hannah Baker: Adams’ sweep game and strike-rotation against Baker’s leg-spin; Brave’s middle-overs tempo hinges on this.

  • Ellyse Perry vs Mady Villiers: Perry’s placement game into gaps vs Villiers’ off-spin holding lines; Phoenix look to anchor around Perry through the middle.

Mini data pack

Head-to-head (women)

  • Played: 6 | Brave 5 | Phoenix 1 | NR 0.

Venue pointers

  • Bounce true, value for shots; seamers effective early, spinners come in later; 140–150 competitive.

Fantasy & Dream11 pointers (small leagues)

Core picks

  • Wicketkeeper: Amy Jones – consistent PP scoring, strong boundary rate square of the wicket.

  • Batters: Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Laura Wolvaardt, Maia Bouchier – one anchor (Wolvaardt) plus two stroke-makers gives balance.

  • All-rounders: Sophie Devine, Georgia Adams, Ellyse Perry – safest all-round minutes; captaincy candidates.

  • Bowlers: Lauren Bell (new ball), Megan Schutt (swing/experience), Hannah Baker (leg-spin middle), Emily Arlott (hit-the-deck seam).

C/VC options

  • Option 1: C Devine, VC Wyatt-Hodge – ceiling pick with PP and finishing roles.

  • Option 2: C Perry, VC Adams – floor + ceiling with bat and a few overs in the middle.

Bench/backup ideas

  • Phoebe Turner, Amara Carr (Brave depth), Eve Jones (left-hand option for Phoenix), Katie George (bat+ball value).

Risk hedges

  • If Phoenix bowl first in overcast, consider elevating Schutt to VC; if Brave chase, Wolvaardt/Adams as safer anchors.

Why Brave start favourites (slightly)

  • Continuity: Title pedigree and a settled core (Adams, Wyatt, Bell, Bouchier) plus the Devine/Tryon overseas heft.

  • Role clarity: Defined PP hitters, middle-overs anchors, and death bowling combinations.

What keeps Phoenix in it

  • Perry factor: Bat control + overs when needed; leadership under a new coach with a refreshed setup.

  • New-ball quality: Schutt’s swing + Wong/Arlott’s hit-the-deck pace can dent Brave’s powerplay.

Squads (official lists)

Southern Brave Women: Georgia Adams (c), Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Laura Wolvaardt, Sophie Devine, Freya Kemp, Mady Villiers, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Chloe Tryon, Rhianna Southby, Tilly Corteen-Coleman, Phoebe Graham, Josie Groves, Phoebe Turner, Amara Carr.

Birmingham Phoenix Women: Ellyse Perry (c), Amy Jones (wk), Emma Lamb, Megan Schutt, Georgia Voll, Emily Arlott, Hannah Baker, Sterre Kalis, Bethan Ellis, Eve Jones, Katie George, Abi/Abbey Freeborn, Issy Wong.