A superb performance in the field from Manchester Super Giants kept their campaign on the road as Southern Brave, looking to qualify for the knockouts with a game to spare, were held at bay in an absorbing encounter at Southampton.

After the Super Giants posted 139, the Brave’s openers Lizelle Lee and Maia Bouchier eased into their work initially, posting 36 in the powerplay to set a base from which to attack. But when the pair departed soon after, Lee falling to a superb boundary catch from Mady Villiers and Bouchier to the dreaded run out at the non-striker’s end, the visitors came alive.

Sophie Ecclestone, Bex Tyson and Villiers bowled beautifully to shackle the Brave in the middle third, with Villiers, bowling with great loop and guile, upending Sophie Molineux via a marginal stumping from Richa Ghosh and then getting the big one of Laura Wolvaardt for a 28-ball 36. A third wicket for Villiers, Charli Knott top-edging to Grace Ballinger on the 45, brought her the exceptional figures of 3 for 17 from her full quota.

By the time Villiers was done, the game was all but up. The Super Giants were so sharp in the field that the Brave failed to hit a single boundary in the final 36 balls.

On a turning track, the Super Giants did well to get up to 139. Hefty contributions from Smriti Mandhana, who made 46, and Ghosh underscored the innings, with the latter, promoted to No.3 in the order, registering her maiden half-century in the competition, the Indian superstars combining for precisely 100 of the team’s overall total, while Issy Wong was the pick of the Brave’s bowlers, returning tidy figures of 2-24, removing both Indian players in quick succession.

With victory here, Super Giants go into their final fixture against SunRisers Leeds on Tuesday knowing that victory will secure them a place in The Hundred Eliminator.

While for the Brave, a first defeat at home in eight matches means they now need to win on Monday against Trent Rockets to guarantee their own progression.

Meerkat Match Hero Mady Villiers said: “It’s a tough place to come here as an away player and we knew that we’d have to play very well to win here and we’ve done just that.

“When our batters came off, they told us bowlers that length was key, so we knew that if we held our lengths, there was a bit in it for the spin and they would have to manufacture stuff. All three of us spinners played a part today, which was great.

“I like to attack as a bowler, especially if you’ve got bigger boundaries, you can set a field and run teams ragged. We had a clear plan today and fortunately it worked very well for us.”