In a tightly contested match at Headingley, the SunRisers from Leeds secured their inaugural victory of the tournament by edging out Southern Brave. The game was highlighted by two explosive half‑centuries from opening batsmen Mitchell Marsh and Dan Lawrence, who together set a formidable target for the visitors. Marsh opened the innings with a blistering display, striking six sixes and four fours to amass 69 runs from just 34 deliveries. His aggressive approach set the tone early, putting pressure on the opposition bowlers and allowing the SunRisers to build momentum.
Following Marsh's dismissal, Lawrence took charge, remaining unbeaten on 51 off 25 balls. His swift scoring propelled Leeds to a total of 187 for five, a score that proved just enough to keep the home side in the game. The Brave’s chase began poorly when their captain, Zak Crawley, fell for a golden duck, bowled by England spinner Adil Rashid.
Rashid, who had already claimed the wickets of Marsh and fellow opener Ryan Rickelton (who made 37), continued his incisive spell, removing the key batsmen early and leaving the Brave reeling. After a brief resistance from Harry Brook, who was clean bowled for three by Marcus Stoinis, the SunRisers added a rapid 21 runs from Tom Alsop, further solidifying their lead.
For Southern Brave, Ben McKinney provided the most significant resistance, scoring 44 from just 23 balls. His aggressive strokeplay was complemented by Jamie Smith’s 30 off 18 and Australian all‑rounder Marcus Stoinis’s 31 from 16. Tristan Stubbs also contributed an unbeaten 43 off 20, keeping the visitors within touching distance. Despite these efforts, the home side held firm, clinching their first win of the season while Brave remained winless after two outings.
In the women's fixture, Southern Brave continued their strong start, registering a second consecutive victory by dismissing SunRisers Leeds for five wickets. Jemimah Rodrigues anchored the chase with an unbeaten 42 from 34 balls, while Australian captain Sophie Molineux added a quick 21 from 17.
Their partnership guided the team to the target of 117 with four balls to spare. Earlier, SunRisers’ Bryony Smith had contributed a rapid 48 off 34 balls, featuring six fours and a six, to set a competitive total of 116. The highlight of the day came later at Sophia Gardens, where Welsh Fire’s Rachin Ravindra produced a near‑century that will be remembered for years.
Ravindra’s 98 runs from 44 balls ranked as the joint fourth‑highest score in the history of the men’s Hundred, propelling Fire to a 15‑run win over MI London in front of a record‑breaking crowd. The Oval‑based franchise, which has dominated the competition for the past three summers, found their usual bowling firepower unable to contain Ravindra’s on‑fire batting. Ravindra’s innings was a masterclass in power hitting and timing.
He reached his fifty in just 22 balls, the milestone coming when he dispatched Rashid Khan over the mid‑wicket fence. Supporting him, Joe Root contributed 29 from 26 balls, but it was Ravindra who kept the scoreboard ticking, hammering four sixes in an eight‑ball spell and surpassing Jonny Bairstow’s previous record of 86 not out for a Fire batter. As he approached the coveted hundred, the Kiwi all‑rounder was caught on the 98th delivery, a close‑in‑field catch by Jason Roy off a superb delivery from Trent Boult, who recorded figures of 1‑16.
MI London’s reply began with an early wicket as Will Jacks fell to Sam Cook, but the innings regained composure, reaching 72 for 1 after 46 balls. However, Lockie Ferguson turned the tide, taking two wickets in consecutive balls – first removing Jason Roy and then sending Sam Curran back for a golden duck. Ferguson continued his spell, claiming the wicket of Nicholas Pooran and later dismissing the dangerous James Vince for 66 off 38 balls with a caught‑and‑bowled that swung the match in Fire’s favor.
Fire’s bowlers held their nerve in the final overs. Rutherford, unbeaten on 24 from 18 balls, added crucial runs, while Ferguson returned to finish the job, dismissing Tom Curran and securing Fire’s second win of the campaign. After the match, Ravindra, named the Meerkat Match Hero, reflected on the performance: "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 the charge to a 60‑run victory over MI London. After a narrow defeat in their opening game, Fire posted 177‑4, the third‑highest total ever recorded in the tournament.
Devine smashed 52 from 29 balls, while Wareham contributed 43 from 20. Openers Georgia Voll and Ella McCaughan added solid starts of 42 and 27 respectively. MI London collapsed under the pressure, bowled out for 117, with Grace Potts taking three wickets for 24. Looking ahead, the next double‑header features Manchester Super Giants versus Birmingham Phoenix at Old Trafford, with the women's match slated for 11 am and the men’s at 2:30 pm.
Later, Trent Rockets will take on London Spirit at Trent Bridge, with the women’s game beginning at 2:30 pm and the men’s at 6 pm. Both fixtures will be streamed live on Sky Sports and available contract‑free on NOW.