Men’s Competition: Welsh Fire Secure Victory
Welsh Fire began their 2026 Hundred campaign with a six-wicket victory over Southern Brave in Southampton. Captain Phil Salt played a significant role, remaining unbeaten with 47 runs, guiding his team to chase down the target of 136 runs set by the Brave.
The match saw Southern Brave bat first, posting a total of 135-7 from 100 balls. David Miller contributed 44 runs from 35 balls for the Brave, despite initially struggling to find his rhythm. Thomas Rew, at 18 years old, also made a notable contribution with 41 runs from 30 balls after the openers, Jamie Smith and Ben McKinney, were dismissed for single figures.
Welsh Fire’s bowling attack was led by Marco Jansen, who secured 2-17, effectively limiting Southern Brave’s scoring opportunities throughout much of their innings. In response, Phil Salt anchored the chase for Welsh Fire. He formed partnerships with Joe Root, who scored 14 runs, and Rachin Ravindra, who added 24 runs. Earlier in the innings, fellow opener Matt Short scored a quick 20 runs.
The game reached a tense conclusion with Welsh Fire needing nine runs from the final five balls. Asa Tribe hit a boundary off Southern Brave captain Chris Jordan’s first delivery, and Salt then sealed the win with a six two balls later.
Women’s Competition: Southern Brave’s Comeback Win
In the women’s competition, Southern Brave secured an eight-run comeback victory against Welsh Fire Women at The Utilita Bowl on Wednesday. Southern Brave captain Sophie Molineux was a key performer, taking three wickets and scoring 22 runs from 16 balls in the first innings.
Southern Brave, finalists in the 2025 Hundred, set a target of 127 runs for Welsh Fire. Laura Wolvaardt was a standout batter for the Brave, scoring an unbeaten 45 runs from 36 deliveries. For Welsh Fire, Heather Graham delivered an impressive bowling performance, taking 4-19.
Welsh Fire initially appeared to be in control of their chase, largely due to a strong innings from Georgia Voll, who scored 52 runs from 39 deliveries. Freya Kemp further strengthened Welsh Fire’s position by adding 39 runs before being run out by a direct hit from Jemimah Rodrigues.
Despite some fielding errors, including seven dropped catches, Southern Brave rallied. With Welsh Fire at 80-2 with 41 balls remaining, Sophie Molineux and England’s Lauren Bell helped their team restrict Welsh Fire to 118 runs for eight wickets by the end of their innings. Molineux dismissed Ella McCaughan and later Sophie Devine, who clipped the ball to Lizelle Lee behind the stumps.
Wickets then fell rapidly for Welsh Fire. Tilly Corteen-Coleman ended Voll’s innings, with the Australian clipping the ball to Maia Bouchier. Shortly after, Issy Wong caught Georgia Wareham off a Lauren Bell delivery, and Bell then bowled Em Arlott, leaving Welsh Fire needing 16 runs from 11 deliveries. Molineux then snared Niamh Holland, and Corteen-Coleman bowled Heather Graham, securing the win for Southern Brave.
Lauren Bell commented on the team’s resilience, stating that dismissing Devine was a critical moment. She acknowledged the initial nerves and dropped catches but highlighted the team’s ability to perform under pressure. Bell emphasised the importance of starting the tournament with a win for confidence, especially given the team had not been together for an extended period.
Upcoming Fixtures
The next fixtures for The Hundred will take place on Thursday at Lord’s in London. London Spirit will face Manchester Super Giants. The women’s game is scheduled to begin at 14:45 BST, followed by the men’s match at 18:30.
Both matches will be available for ball-by-ball commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds, as well as on the BBC Sport website and app. Additionally, the matches will be broadcast live on Sky Sports and YouTube, with contract-free viewing options available on NOW.
Read Also
Source: bbc.co.uk
