In a tightly contested match at Headingley, SunRisers Leeds secured their inaugural victory of the season by edging past Southern Brave in a thrilling encounter. The game was highlighted by explosive half‑centuries from Mitchell Marsh and Dan Lawrence, who together laid the foundation for a competitive total. Marsh opened the innings with a flamboyant display, launching six sixes and four fours to compile a rapid 69 runs off just 34 deliveries. His aggressive approach set the tone early, putting pressure on the opposition bowlers.
Following Marsh's dismissal, Lawrence took charge, remaining unbeaten on 51 runs from a mere 25 balls. His swift scoring propelled the hosts to a respectable 187‑5, a total that proved decisive in the final outcome. SunRisers captain Zak Crawley was unfortunate to fall for a golden duck, falling victim to England spinner Adil Rashid, who claimed his third wicket of the day after earlier removing both Marsh and fellow opener Ryan Rickelton, who had contributed 37 runs.
Rashid’s spell was a key factor in limiting the opposition’s chase. The Brave’s reply began poorly when Harry Brook was clean‑bowled for just three runs by Marcus Stoinis. However, a quickfire 21 from Tom Alsop helped steady the innings. Ben McKinney led the charge for Southern Brave with an aggressive 44 off 23 balls, while opener Jamie Smith added a brisk 30 from 18 deliveries.
Australian all‑rounder Marcus Stoinis also contributed 31 runs from a brisk 16‑ball cameo. Tristan Stubbs kept the visitors in contention with an unbeaten 43 off 20 balls, but despite the late surge, the home side held firm to claim their first win of the campaign, leaving Brave winless after two matches. In the women's fixture, Southern Brave continued their strong start, registering a second consecutive victory by dismissing SunRisers Leeds with a five‑wicket win.
Jemimah Rodrigues anchored the chase with an unbeaten 42 from 34 balls, while Australian captain Sophie Molineux added 21 from 17, guiding the team to the target of 117 with four balls to spare. For SunRisers, Bryony Smith’s aggressive 48 from 34 balls—featuring six fours and a six—formed the backbone of their 116‑run total.
The headline of the day came from Welsh Fire, whose star bowler Rachin Ravindra produced a near‑century that ranks as the joint fourth‑highest individual score in the history of the men’s Hundred competition. Playing in front of a record crowd at Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens, Ravindra smashed 98 runs from 44 balls, a knock that left the spectators buzzing.
His innings included a rapid fifty in just 22 balls, highlighted by a boundary over mid‑wicket that dispatched the renowned spinner Rashid Khan. Ravindra’s partnership with England captain Joe Root, who contributed 29 from 26 balls, was relentless. Ravindra struck four sixes in an eight‑ball spell, surpassing Jonny Bairstow’s previous record of 86 not out for the highest score by a Fire batter.
After Root was stumped off Rashid Khan, Jordan Cox offered a quick cameo, but the focus remained on Ravindra as he approached the coveted three‑figure mark. He was eventually dismissed on the 98th delivery, caught by Jason Roy off the superb bowling of Trent Boult, who recorded figures of 1‑16.
Welsh Fire’s bowling unit responded emphatically. Early wickets fell when Will Jacks was trapped by Sam Cook, yet the team recovered to 72‑1 after 46 deliveries.
Lockie Ferguson then produced a burst of brilliance, taking two wickets in consecutive balls—first dismissing Jason Roy, then golden‑duck Sam Curran. Ferguson added a third wicket by removing the dangerous Nicholas Pooran. Later, Ravindra himself contributed with the ball, catching James Vince for a pivotal wicket. In the death overs, Rutherford finished unbeaten on 24 from 18 balls, while Ferguson claimed the final wicket of Tom Curran, sealing Fire’s second win of the season.
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 saw Welsh Fire dominate, with Sophie Devine and Georgia Wareham leading a comprehensive 60‑run victory over MI London at Sophia Gardens. After a narrow defeat to Southern Brave in their opening match, Fire rebounded by posting 177‑4, the third‑highest total ever recorded in the tournament. Devine’s explosive 52 from 29 balls and Wareham’s swift 43 from 20 were instrumental, supported by solid contributions from openers Georgia Voll (42) and Ella McCaughan (27). MI London collapsed under the pressure, bowled out for 117, with Grace Potts taking three wickets for 24 runs.
Looking ahead, the Hundred schedule continues with a double‑header on Sunday: Manchester Super Giants will face Birmingham Phoenix at Old Trafford, with the women’s match kicking off at 11 am followed by the men’s game at 2:30 pm. Later, Trent Rockets will take on London Spirit at Trent Bridge, with the women’s fixture starting at 2:30 pm and the men’s contest beginning at 6 pm. Both matches will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, and fans can also stream the action on NOW, the contract‑free platform offering comprehensive coverage of The Hundred and related content.