Welsh Fire returned to winning ways with a dominant display against a struggling Birmingham Phoenix, whose continued batting woes have all but ended their hopes of reaching the later stages of the competition. The match, played at the Cardiff ground, showcased the calm and authority of England’s newly‑reinstated Test captain Joe Root, who steered his franchise to a comfortable finish with four balls to spare.
Two days after being re‑appointed as England’s full‑time Test skipper, Root produced an effortless unbeaten 58, anchoring the chase with a blend of composure and timing that left the opposition scrambling. His innings was built on a solid opening partnership with Phil Salt, who struck quickly, making 46 off just 36 deliveries and peppering the field with four sixes before being dismissed by the sharp left‑arm bowler Mitch Owen, whose figures read 1 for 9. When Salt fell, the Fire’s momentum remained intact. Rachin Ravindra joined Root at the crease, but the pitch offered a bit of bite, and Ravindra struggled to find his rhythm.
The experienced New Zealand paceman Chris Wood, returning figures of 1 for 21, coaxed a mistimed shot from Ravindra, resulting in a cross‑bat hoick that was caught cleanly. At that point, Welsh Fire still required 42 runs from the remaining 31 balls. Jordan Cox, a young batter who had been under‑performing throughout the tournament, stepped in and displayed a touch of class that belied his recent form. He negotiated the crafty Pakistani off‑spinner Usman Tariq, who had bowled a tight spell of 0 for 23, and managed to add a useful 20 runs, pushing the chase into the final overs.
Cox’s contribution extended beyond his batting; earlier in the innings he took two spectacular catches behind the stumps, dismissing Mitch Owen for 18 and Phoenix’s most fluent scorer, Joe Clarke, who had made 35 before being trapped. Rehan Ahmed offered a brief cameo for the Phoenix, but his effort was cut short by a brilliant fielding play from Phil Salt, who executed a run‑out that marked the second wicket to fall in that middle phase of the innings. The Phoenix’s innings eventually stalled, leaving them well short of a competitive total. The Fire’s bowling attack once again demonstrated its depth and variety.
Marco Jansen and Lockie Ferguson each claimed two wickets, complementing the efforts of the other three bowlers—all of whom have international experience. Their collective performance kept the Phoenix under pressure and ensured that the target of 137 runs, while modest, was defended convincingly.
Despite the relatively low total, the home side, playing in front of co‑owner and local hero Jude Bellingham, fought hard to keep the match interesting. A late burst from the Phoenix’s bowler Mahmood saw him clean‑bowling Cox, reducing the required runs to six from the last seven balls.
It was then that Root unveiled his signature shot: a cheeky, lofted scoop off a well‑placed delivery that sailed over the fielders and secured the win for Welsh Fire, cementing their position at the top of the table. Speaking to Sky Sports Cricket after the match, Root summed up his approach: "That is how you want to play cricket, being ruthless and getting it done at the end. We've got a lot of depth in different areas, a lot of bases covered and good variety in our attack.
We've also got a good understanding of how we want to chase down totals, and if we can find a way to make Cardiff a very difficult place to come and play in particular, then it will go a long way to ensuring we get through to the back‑end of the tournament." In a separate encounter, Southern Brave delivered a crucial five‑wicket win over London Spirit at Lord’s, keeping their campaign alive and preserving their chances of reaching the eliminator. Jofra Archer, the England fast‑bowling star, produced figures of 4 for 9, triggering a dramatic collapse that saw Spirit lose their last five wickets for just two runs.
The Brave’s chase was anchored by a gritty 56 from Jonny Bairstow, the only notable innings for Spirit, while Marcus Stoinis continued his impressive tournament with a three‑wicket haul that lifted his tally to nine wickets in four matches, placing him atop the tournament’s wicket‑taking leaderboard. The Spirit had started positively, reaching 52 for 2 at the halfway point thanks to an aggressive start from Bairstow, who scored a rapid 25 on a tricky surface. However, a spectacular catch by Adil Rashid, dismissing Liam Livingstone, propelled Rashid past Tymal Mills to become the all‑time leading wicket‑taker in The Hundred men’s competition. Bairstow eventually reached his half‑century off 40 balls, but a sudden collapse followed, with Archer and Stoinis each taking two wickets in quick succession, sealing the innings with eight balls remaining.
Chasing a modest target of 106, the Brave entered as clear favourites but still faced a disciplined Spirit bowling unit. Early wickets fell when David Willey removed Ben McKinney for a golden duck and dismissed Nikhil Chaudhary for five.
Nevertheless, Jamie Smith steadied the innings, hammering 36 runs before falling lbw to James Coles. Adam Zampa bowled tightly, conceding just 14 runs, while Moeen Ali—brought in as a replacement for the injured Thomas Rew—was dismissed, leaving the Brave at 60 for 5 with 46 runs still required from 48 balls. The South African duo of David Miller and Tristan Stubbs then combined to steady the chase. Miller, in particular, displayed calm finishing ability, ending unbeaten on 39 as the Brave crossed the line with three balls to spare.
The victory was vital for Southern Brave, keeping them firmly in contention for a spot in the eliminator, whereas London Spirit will now need a series of strong performances to stay alive in the knockout race. Reflecting on his performance, Archer told Sky Sports Cricket: "I'm delighted that we got the win today.
It's the first time I've got more than two wickets for the tournament. Everyone's been bowling well. We've not been getting huge amounts of wickets but we've definitely been keeping the runs down. On chasing a small total, you always think that it's going to be an easy game, but we seem to always make it hard for ourselves." Fans can continue to follow every match of The Hundred up to the finals on Sunday, August 16, with live streaming available on the NOW platform, ensuring that the excitement of the tournament remains accessible to all cricket enthusiasts.