In a tightly contested match at Headingley, the SunRisers Leeds secured their first victory of the season by edging out Southern Brave in a nail‑biting finish. The game was highlighted by two explosive innings from the opening pair, Mitchell Marsh and Dan Lawrence, who combined for more than a hundred runs and set a formidable target for the visitors.
Marsh opened the innings with a blistering display of power hitting, launching six sixes and four fours as he accumulated 69 runs off just 34 deliveries. His aggressive approach put the opposition on the back foot early and laid the groundwork for a competitive total. Following Marsh’s dismissal, Lawrence stepped in and continued the onslaught, remaining unbeaten on 51 runs from only 25 balls. His rapid scoring, built around a mix of boundaries and deft placement, propelled the SunRisers to a respectable 187‑5.
The SunRisers’ captain, Zak Crawley, unfortunately fell early, dismissed for a golden duck by England spinner Adil Rashid, who was already busy that afternoon, having taken two wickets, including Marsh and fellow opener Ryan Rickelton (who made 37). Rashid’s spin proved a constant threat, extracting turn and bounce that troubled the home side’s top order. On the Brave side, Harry Brook was clean bowled for just three runs by Marcus Stoinis, but the innings was rescued by Lawrence’s continued aggression and a quickfire 21 from Tom Alsop, which helped the visitors recover and finish strongly. Ben McKinney led the Brave’s chase with a swift 44 off 23 balls, while opener Jamie Smith contributed 30 from 18 deliveries, and Australian all‑rounder Stoinis added a quick 31 off 16.
Tristan Stubbs kept the scoreboard ticking with an unbeaten 43 from 20 balls, but the SunRisers held firm to claim the win, marking their first triumph of the tournament, while Brave remained winless after two games. In the women’s fixture, Southern Brave continued their winning ways, securing a second straight victory by defeating SunRisers Leeds by five wickets. Jemimah Rodrigues anchored the chase with an unbeaten 42 off 34 balls, while Australian captain Sophie Molineux added 21 from 17, guiding the side to the target of 117 with four balls to spare. For the SunRisers, Bryony Smith’s explosive 48 off 34 balls – featuring six fours and a six – had set a solid total of 116, but it proved insufficient.
The headline of the day came from the men’s match between Welsh Fire and MI London at Sophia Gardens, where Rachin Ravindra produced a near‑century that will be remembered for years. Ravindra’s 98 runs off 44 balls is tied for the fourth‑highest individual score in the history of The Hundred, and his innings powered Welsh Fire to a 15‑run win in front of a record crowd in Cardiff.
The Oval‑based franchise, which has dominated the men’s competition for the past three summers, saw its star‑studded bowling attack struggle against Ravindra’s on‑fire form. Ravindra’s knock was a masterclass in power hitting and timing. He reached his half‑century in a mere 22 balls, celebrating the milestone by dispatching Rashid Khan over the mid‑wicket boundary. With England captain Joe Root contributing a steady 29 from 26 balls, Ravindra kept the momentum, hammering four sixes in an eight‑ball spell and surpassing Jonny Bairstow’s previous record of 86 not out for the highest Fire score in the competition.
As he approached the coveted three‑figure mark, Ravindra was dismissed for 98 on the 98th delivery, caught by Jason Roy off a superb Trent Boult spell that yielded 1‑16. The chase for MI London began poorly as Will Jacks fell early to Sam Cook, but the visitors recovered to 72‑1 after 46 balls. However, Lockie Ferguson turned the tide, claiming two wickets in consecutive deliveries – first removing Jason Roy and then delivering a golden‑duck dismissal of Sam Curran. Ferguson added a third wicket by dismissing Nicholas Pooran, and later sealed the win by clean‑bowling Tom Curran.
Welsh Fire’s death bowling, featuring the likes of Rutherford (24* off 18) and Ferguson, held their nerve to clinch the second win of the campaign. Ravindra, named 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 MI London, with Sophie Devine and Georgia Wareham leading a powerful display that resulted in a 60‑run victory. After an opening loss to Southern Brave, Fire rebounded by posting 177‑4 – the third‑highest total ever recorded in the tournament. Devine smashed 52 off 29 balls, while Wareham contributed 43 from 20.
Openers Georgia Voll and Ella McCaughan added valuable starts of 42 and 27 respectively. Grace Potts then took three wickets for 24, dismantling MI London’s batting line‑up, which collapsed to 117 all out, marking their second consecutive defeat.
Looking ahead, the next double‑header features Manchester Super Giants versus Birmingham Phoenix at Old Trafford, with the women’s game kicking off at 11 am and the men’s match at 2:30 pm. Later, Trent Rockets will take on London Spirit at Trent Bridge, with the women’s fixture scheduled for 2:30 pm and the men’s contest at 6 pm. Both matches will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, and fans can also stream The Hundred and additional content on NOW, ensuring comprehensive coverage of the tournament’s ongoing excitement.