In a tightly contested clash at Headingley, SunRisers Leeds finally broke their early-season duck by edging past Southern Brave, thanks to explosive innings from Mitchell Marsh and Dan Lawrence. The home side posted a formidable total of 187 for 5, a score that was built on two blistering half‑centuries and a flurry of boundaries that left the opposition scrambling. Marsh, opening the innings, set the tone with a power‑packed 69 off just 34 deliveries. His onslaught featured six towering sixes and four crisp fours, showcasing a blend of raw strength and timing that put the bowlers on the back foot from the outset.
Partnering him at the top, Lawrence contributed an unbeaten 51 from a mere 25 balls, anchoring the innings while maintaining a high strike rate. Together, they propelled SunRisers to a competitive total that would prove decisive. The Brave’s response began promisingly but quickly unraveled. England spinner Adil Rashid, who had already claimed the wickets of Marsh and fellow opener Ryan Rickelton (who made 37), dismissed captain Zak Crawley for a golden duck, adding his third wicket of the afternoon.
The early breakthroughs put pressure on the Brave, and despite a brief resurgence from Harry Brook—who was clean bowled for three by Marcus Stoinis—their chase faltered. Lawrence’s aggressive batting, combined with a rapid 21 from Tom Alsop, helped SunRisers finish their innings strongly, ensuring they posted a challenging target. In the Brave’s innings, Ben McKinney led the charge with a swift 44 off 23 balls, while Jamie Smith added 30 from 18 and Australian all‑rounder Marcus Stoinis contributed a quickfire 31 from 16. Tristan Stubbs kept the visitors in contention with an unbeaten 43 off just 20 deliveries, but the home side’s disciplined bowling and fielding ultimately secured a narrow victory.
This win marked SunRisers’ first triumph of the tournament, while Southern Brave remained winless after two matches. The women’s fixture saw Southern Brave continue their unbeaten run, registering a five‑wicket win over SunRisers Leeds. Jemimah Rodrigues anchored the chase with an unbeaten 42 off 34 balls, and Australian captain Sophie Molineux added a useful 21 from 17.
The duo guided the Brave to a comfortable finish, achieving the target of 117 with four balls to spare. For 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 wasn’t enough to stave off the Brave’s chase. In another headline‑making performance, Welsh Fire’s rising star Rachin Ravindra delivered a near‑century that etched his name into the record books. Facing MI London at Sophia Gardens, Ravindra compiled a 98‑run innings off 44 balls, the joint fourth‑highest score in the men’s competition’s history.
His innings was a masterclass in power hitting, featuring a flurry of boundaries that left the crowd at the record‑breaking Cardiff venue buzzing with excitement. He reached his fifty in a blistering 22 balls, dispatching the formidable Rashid Khan over mid‑wicket for the milestone.
Ravindra’s on‑field partner, Joe Root, contributed a steady 29 off 26 balls, but it was the New Zealander who stole the spotlight. He hammered four sixes within an eight‑ball spell, surpassing Jonny Bairstow’s previous record for the highest score by a Welsh Fire batter in the competition. As he edged closer to the coveted three‑figure mark, Ravindra was dismissed on the 98th delivery, caught by Jason Roy off a superb spell from Trent Boult, who recorded figures of 1 for 16. The chase for MI London began poorly when Will Jacks fell early to Sam Cook.
However, a solid partnership between the middle order saw them recover to 72 for 1 after 46 deliveries. The momentum shifted dramatically when Lockie Ferguson produced a double strike, removing both Jason Roy and Sam Curran in consecutive balls, the latter falling for a golden duck. Ferguson then claimed the wicket of Nicholas Pooran, further destabilising the MI London line‑up. In the dying overs, Welsh Fire’s bowlers displayed nerves of steel: Rutherford finished unbeaten on 24 off 18 balls, while Ferguson sealed the victory by dismissing Tom Curran, ensuring a 15‑run win for the home side.
Ravindra, later dubbed 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 captured the pride of a franchise that has dominated the men’s Hundred for three consecutive summers, yet found its bowling attack challenged by Ravindra’s explosive batting. The women’s Hundred also featured a dominant display from Welsh Fire, as Sophie Devine and Georgia Wareham led the side to a 60‑run victory over MI London. After a loss in their opening match to Southern Brave, Fire rebounded with a massive total of 177 for 4, the third‑highest score in the tournament’s short history. Devine’s aggressive 52 off 29 balls and Wareham’s quickfire 43 from 20 set the platform, supported by solid contributions from openers Georgia Voll (42) and Ella McCaughan (27).
MI London’s reply crumbled under the pressure, with Grace Potts claiming three wickets for 24 runs as the visitors were bowled out for 117, suffering their second consecutive defeat. Looking ahead, the Hundred’s double‑header on Sunday will see Manchester Super Giants take on Birmingham Phoenix at Old Trafford, with the women’s game kicking off at 11 a.m. and the men’s match slated for 2:30 p.m.
Later in the day, Trent Rockets will face London Spirit at Trent Bridge, with the women’s fixture starting at 2:30 p.m. and the men’s contest beginning at 6 p.m. Fans can catch both matches live on Sky Sports, and the action will also be available streaming on NOW without any contractual obligations.