Mitchell Marsh and Dan Lawrence provided the firepower that propelled SunRisers Leeds to a narrow victory over Southern Brave at Headingley, securing the side's inaugural win of the season. Marsh opened the innings with an explosive display, hammering six sixes and four fours to compile a rapid 69 runs from just 34 deliveries.
His aggressive approach set the tone for the innings and forced the opposition bowlers onto the back foot. Following Marsh's dismissal, Lawrence took charge, remaining unbeaten on 51 off only 25 balls. His quick scoring helped lift SunRisers to a competitive total of 187 for 5 wickets.
The innings, however, was not without setbacks. SunRisers captain Zak Crawley fell for a golden duck, bowled by England spinner Adil Rashid, who also claimed the wickets of Marsh and fellow opener Ryan Rickelton (who had contributed 37 runs). Rashid's spell proved decisive early on, removing three key batsmen and applying pressure on the home side.
In the chase, Southern Brave struggled to find rhythm. Harry Brook was clean bowled for just three runs by Marcus Stoinis, and despite a brisk 21 from Tom Alsop, the visitors could not keep pace with the required run rate. Ben McKinney offered a glimmer of hope for Brave, smashing 44 runs from 23 balls, while opener Jamie Smith added 30 from 18 deliveries. Australian all‑rounder Marcus Stoinis contributed a quickfire 31 off 16 balls, but the mounting pressure proved too much.
Tristan Stubbs kept the Brave in contention with an unbeaten 43 from 20 balls, yet SunRisers held firm to claim their first win of the tournament, leaving Brave winless after two matches. The women's fixture saw Southern Brave continue their unbeaten run, 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 a useful 21 off 17.
The pair guided the team to the target of 117 with four balls remaining. For SunRisers, Bryony Smith's aggressive 48 from 34 balls – featuring six fours and a six – was the highlight of a total of 116.
In a separate high‑profile encounter, Welsh Fire's rising star Rachin Ravindra delivered a historic performance against MI London at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. Ravindra's 98 runs off 44 balls ranked as the joint fourth‑highest individual score in the men's Hundred competition. His 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. With Joe Root contributing 29 from 26, Ravindra accelerated further, belting four sixes in an eight‑ball spell and surpassing Jonny Bairstow's previous record for the highest Fire score.
Ravindra's knock was capped by a dramatic dismissal – a caught‑and‑bowled off Trent Boult's delivery that saw him fall on the 98th ball of his innings, just short of a century. Nonetheless, his dominance set the foundation for a 15‑run victory, witnessed by a record crowd at the stadium.
The Fire's bowling unit, led by Lockie Ferguson (4‑26) and Trent Boult (1‑16), dismantled MI London's batting line‑up. After an early wicket of Will Jacks to Sam Cook, MI London were 72‑1 after 46 balls, but Ferguson struck twice in consecutive balls, removing both Jason Roy and Sam Curran for a golden duck. He later dismissed Nicholas Pooran, and a crucial caught‑and‑bowled of James Vince (66 from 38) turned the match in Fire's favor. In the final overs, Rutherford (24 not out from 18) and Ferguson wrapped up the innings, securing Fire's 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." His words underscored the significance of the victory for a franchise that had dominated the men's competition for three consecutive summers but faced a fresh challenge from a well‑balanced MI London side. The women's Hundred also featured a dominant display from Welsh Fire.
Captain Sophie Devine led from the front with a blistering 52 from 29 balls, while Georgia Wareham contributed 43 off 20. Openers Georgia Voll and Ella McCaughan added solid starts of 42 and 27 respectively, propelling Fire to a formidable 177‑4 – the third‑highest total in the tournament's history. Grace Potts then claimed three wickets for 24 runs, triggering a collapse for MI London, who were bowled out for 117, suffering their second consecutive defeat.
Looking ahead, the tournament's 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 am and the men's at 2.30 pm. Later, Trent Rockets will face London Spirit at Trent Bridge, with the women's game starting at 2.30 pm and the men's at 6 pm. Both fixtures will be streamed live on Sky Sports and available without subscription on NOW, offering fans ample opportunity to follow the unfolding drama of The Hundred.