The afternoon at Headingley saw SunRisers Leeds pull off a narrow victory over Southern Brave, thanks to two explosive half‑centuries that turned the tide in a tightly contested match. Mitchell Marsh opened the innings with a blistering display, hammering six sixes and four fours to compile a rapid 69 runs from just 34 deliveries. His aggressive start set the platform for his partner Dan Lawrence, who remained unbeaten on 51 off only 25 balls, steering the hosts to a total of 187 for 5.
SunRisers captain Zak Crawley was the first wicket to fall, caught for a golden duck as England spinner Adil Rashid claimed his third wicket of the day, having already removed both Marsh and fellow opener Ryan Rickelton, who had contributed 37 runs. Rashid’s early breakthroughs kept the pressure on Leeds, but the middle order responded emphatically.
The chase for Southern Brave began poorly when Harry Brook was clean‑bowled for three by Marcus Stoinis. However, Lawrence’s earlier fireworks and a quickfire 21 from Tom Alsop helped the visitors recover and finish strongly. Ben McKinney led the Brave’s reply with a brisk 44 off 23 balls, while opening partner Jamie Smith added 30 from 18 deliveries.
Australian all‑rounder Marcus Stoinis contributed a rapid 31 from just 16 balls, and Tristan Stubbs kept the opposition in contention with an unbeaten 43 off 20 deliveries. Despite the late surge, SunRisers held on to claim their first win of the tournament, leaving Brave still searching for a victory after two matches. In the women's fixture, Southern Brave continued their winning run, securing a second straight triumph by dismissing SunRisers Leeds for a modest total. Jemimah Rodrigues top‑scored with an unbeaten 42 from 34 balls, while Australian captain Sophie Molineux added 21 from 17, guiding the visitors to chase down 117 with four balls remaining.
For SunRisers, Bryony Smith’s 48 off 34 balls – featuring six fours and a six – formed the backbone of their 116‑run total. The excitement shifted to Cardiff where Welsh Fire faced MI London in front of a record‑breaking crowd at Sophia Gardens. New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra produced a sensational innings, scoring 98 runs from 44 balls – the joint fourth‑highest score ever recorded in the men’s Hundred. His knock propelled Fire to a 15‑run victory.
Ravindra’s innings was a masterclass in power hitting; he reached his half‑century in just 22 balls, dispatching Rashid Khan over mid‑wicket for the fifty. He then accelerated further, striking four sixes in an eight‑ball spell and surpassing Jonny Bairstow’s previous Fire record of 86 not out. Joe Root contributed a supportive 29 off 26 balls before Ravindra continued his on‑fire display, eventually falling short of a century on the 98th delivery, caught by Jason Roy off a superb Trent Boult spell (1‑16). In the reply, MI London lost early wickets as Will Jacks fell to Sam Cook, but they recovered to 72‑1 after 46 balls.
However, Lockie Ferguson’s spell of two consecutive wickets – removing both Jason Roy and Sam Curran for a golden duck – shifted momentum back to Fire. Ferguson added a third wicket by dismissing Nicholas Pooran, and later claimed Tom Curran, finishing with figures of 4‑26. Fire’s bowlers held firm in the death overs, with Rutherford finishing unbeaten on 24 off 18 balls, and Ferguson sealing the win.
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 featured a dominant performance from Welsh Fire, who defeated MI London by 60 runs. Sophie Devine and Georgia Wareham led the charge, with Devine scoring a rapid 52 from 29 balls and Wareham adding 43 from 20. Opening contributions from Georgia Voll (42) and Ella McCaughan (27) set a solid foundation, allowing Fire to post 177‑4 – the third‑highest total in the tournament’s history. Grace Potts then claimed three wickets for 24 runs as MI London collapsed to 117 all out, suffering their second consecutive defeat.
Looking ahead, the next double‑header on Sunday will see Manchester Super Giants take on Birmingham Phoenix at Old Trafford, with the women’s match kicking off at 11 a.m. and the men’s fixture slated for 2:30 p.m.
Later, Trent Rockets will meet London Spirit at Trent Bridge, with the women’s game beginning at 2:30 p.m. and the men’s contest starting at 6 p.m. Both matches will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, and fans can also stream the action on NOW without a contract.