In a thrilling encounter at Headingley, the SunRisers Leeds secured their maiden victory of the season by edging out Southern Brave in a tightly contested match. The host side were propelled to a competitive total of 187 for 5, thanks to explosive half‑centuries from opening batsmen Mitchell Marsh and Dan Lawrence. Marsh opened the innings with a blistering display, hammering six sixes and four fours to reach 69 runs off just 34 deliveries.
His aggressive approach set the tone for the innings, allowing the SunRisers to build momentum early on. Following Marsh’s dismissal, Lawrence took charge, remaining unbeaten on 51 from a rapid 25 balls. His quick scoring ensured the team posted a formidable total, and his partnership with Tom Alsop, who contributed a swift 21, helped the SunRisers finish strongly. The opposition’s bowling attack, led by England spinner Adil Rashid, managed to claim three wickets in the first half of the innings.
Rashid dismissed both Marsh and fellow opener Ryan Rickelton (who made 37) before removing captain Zak Crawley for a golden duck. Despite these setbacks, the SunRisers recovered, with Lawrence’s firepower and Alsop’s late surge providing the necessary runs to set a challenging target. When Southern Brave began their chase, they faced early trouble as Harry Brook was clean‑bowled for three by Marcus Stoinis. Nevertheless, Ben McKinney provided a bright start for the visitors, smashing 44 runs off just 23 balls.
His aggressive intent was supported by fellow opener Jamie Smith, who added 30 from 18 deliveries, and Australian all‑rounder Marcus Stoinis, who contributed a quickfire 31 off 16 balls. The chase remained in sight until Tristan Stubbs kept the Brave in contention with an unbeaten 43 from 20 balls, but the SunRisers held firm and clinched the win, marking their first triumph of the tournament while Brave continued their winless run after two games. In the women's fixture, Southern Brave continued their perfect start by securing a five‑wicket victory over SunRisers Leeds. Jemimah Rodrigues anchored the chase with an unbeaten 42 from 34 balls, while Australian captain Sophie Molineux added 21 from 17, guiding the team to the target of 117 with four balls to spare.
For the SunRisers, Bryony Smith’s aggressive 48 off 34 balls – featuring six fours and a six – formed the backbone of their total of 116, but it proved insufficient against a disciplined Brave bowling attack. The highlight of the day came later at Sophia Gardens, where Welsh Fire’s young star Rachin Ravindra delivered a historic performance against MI London. Ravindra compiled a 98‑run innings off 44 balls, the joint fourth‑highest score ever recorded in the men’s Hundred competition.
His innings, played in front of a record crowd at the venue, featured a rapid half‑century in just 22 balls, the milestone being reached by dispatching the renowned spinner Rashid Khan over mid‑wicket. Ravindra’s on‑field dominance continued as he struck four sixes within an eight‑ball spell, surpassing Jonny Bairstow’s previous record for the highest score by a Fire batsman in the competition. Although he fell just short of a century, being caught by Jason Roy off a superb delivery from Trent Boult, his 98 set the tone for Welsh Fire’s 15‑run victory.
Supporting contributions came from Joe Root, who added 29 from 26 balls, and a cameo from Jordan Cox after Root’s dismissal. The innings kept the pressure on MI London throughout, and Ravindra’s final wicket – a caught‑and‑bowled of James Vince – proved pivotal.
MI London’s reply began poorly with Will Jacks falling early to Sam Cook. However, they recovered to 72‑1 after 46 deliveries before Lockie Ferguson produced a crucial double strike, removing both James Roy and Sam Curran for a golden duck. Ferguson then claimed the wicket of Nicholas Pooran, further destabilising the chase. In the death overs, Welsh Fire’s bowlers displayed composure: Rutherford finished unbeaten on 24 from 18 balls, while Ferguson wrapped up the innings by dismissing Tom Curran, securing the second win of the campaign for the Fire.
After the match, Ravindra, honoured as the Meerkat Match Hero, reflected on the achievement: "We know how good the MI London side is and the history and pedigree of their team, and for us to put on a performance on our home ground, the way we played, was fantastic." The women’s Hundred also saw Welsh Fire dominate, with Sophie Devine and Georgia Wareham leading a powerful display that resulted in a 60‑run victory over MI London. After an opening loss to Southern Brave, Fire rebounded by posting 177‑4, the third‑highest total in the tournament’s history. Devine contributed a quick 52 from 29 balls, while Wareham added 43 from 20.
Openers Georgia Voll and Ella McCaughan supplied solid starts with 42 and 27 respectively. MI London’s response collapsed under the pressure of Grace Potts’ three‑wicket spell for 24 runs, culminating in a total of 117 all out – their second consecutive defeat. Looking ahead, the Hundred’s double‑header on Sunday features Manchester Super Giants versus Birmingham Phoenix at Old Trafford, with the women’s game scheduled for 11 am and the men’s at 2:30 pm.
Later, Trent Rockets will face London Spirit at Trent Bridge, with the women’s match beginning at 2:30 pm and the men’s at 6 pm. Both fixtures will be streamed live on Sky Sports, and fans can also watch the action contract‑free on NOW.