A SUPERB 50 from Sophia Dunkley kept Southern Brave on top of the women’s Hundred table in a rain-affected clash with Northern Superchargers.

Needing to score 89 from 75 balls after the Superchargers’ push for a competitive target was curtailed by rain in Southampton, Dunkley and Maia Boucher got their side over the line with 13 deliveries to spare.

Dunkley smashed five fours and two sixes with Bouchier hitting an unbeaten 33 as the Brave got off to a horrendous start with openers Smriti Mandhana and Danni Wyatt falling for one and two respectively as the hosts slumped to five for two.

West Indies star Stefanie Richards then fell for a duck when she was bowled by Kalea Moore to leave the home side reeling at 26 for three.

But Dunkley and Bouchier steadied the ship in impressive fashion to ease their side to a fifth win of the season with a 63-run stand.

After losing the toss and being put in to bat, the Superchargers started well with skipper Lauren Winfield-Hill and Jemimah Rodrigues putting on 33 for the first wicket.

But Winfield-Hill fell for a run-a-ball 14 when she was caught behind by Carla Rudd off the bowling of Tara Norris, with Rodrigues, the competition’s top run scorer, perishing for 18 shortly after when Bouchier took a sharp catch off Lauren Bell.

Laura Wolvaardt was unbeaten on 21 and Alice-Davidson-Richards was 17 not out when heavy rain brought proceedings to a halt for an hour and the Brave easily chased down their truncated target to extend their lead at the top of the table.