LAUREN WINFIELD-HILL top-scored for Oval Invincibles as her team fell to a 12-run defeat against Southern Brave in the Hundred.

Despite being without Alice Capsey through injury, while captain Dane van Niekerk was also absent after being dropped, the Invincibles began strongly.

Winfield-Hill, who was born in York and plays for Yorkshire outside of the Hundred season, led her team in scoring, notching 25 from 19 balls.

Her scoring run saw her pick up four four’s before being bowled out by Georgia Adams, with her removed from the game seeing the Invincibles’ innings fall apart.

The 31-year-old batter was best supported by Suzie Bates, Ryana MacDonald Gay and Aylish Cranstone, who scored 19, 19 and 18 respectively.

Spinner Sophia Smale had the strongest performance out of the Invincibles’ bowlers, taking 2-12 from 20 balls.

Oval were able to reach 141-7 in their attempt to catch Southern Brave who, batting first, made a total of 153-8.

Smriti Mandhana top-scored for Brave, with an impressive 46. Freya Kemp’s 24 on top of that ensured that the team, who remain unbeaten in their opening two games, made a strong start.

Though it looked as though the visiting Brave were slipping in mid-innings, they finished strong through Kemp and Adams, who hit 18 as part of a late surge from 103-5 to their eventual total of 153-8.

The Invincibles meanwhile fell to a loss after a convincing nine-wicket win over Northern Superchargers last week.

In that game, Winfield-Hill scored a more than impressive total of 74 but she was unable to replicate that form against Southern Brave.