Welsh Fire returned to winning ways with a dominant display against a struggling Birmingham Phoenix, whose recurring batting deficiencies have all but ended their hopes of reaching the latter stages of the competition. Just two days after being re‑appointed as England’s full‑time Test captain, Joe Root anchored the Fire’s chase with a calm, unbeaten 58, guiding his side home with four balls to spare. Root opened the innings alongside Phil Salt, who provided a brisk start by scoring 46 off 36 deliveries, peppered with four sixes before being dismissed by Mitch Owen, whose figures read 1 for 9.
The partnership set a solid platform, and when Rachin Ravindra arrived at the crease, the pitch began to behave unpredictably, offering a bit of seam and bounce that made run‑making difficult. Ravindra managed only seven runs before Chris Wood, who had already taken 1 for 21, induced a mistimed shot that resulted in a caught‑behind dismissal. At that point the Fire still required 42 runs from 31 balls, and Jordan Cox entered the fray. Although Cox’s season had been modest up to that stage, he displayed composure, negotiating the crafty Pakistani off‑spinner Usman Tariq, who went for just 23 runs without taking a wicket.
Cox pushed on to reach 20, taking the match into the final overs and keeping the momentum alive. Cox also contributed in the field, taking two spectacular catches – one to dismiss Owen for 18 and another to remove Joe Clarke, the only Phoenix batsman to show any fluidity, who fell for 35. Rehan Ahmed’s brief cameo of 13 runs ended when Salt executed a sharp run‑out, the second wicket to fall in the middle overs as Phoenix’s innings stalled.
The Fire’s bowling attack once again demonstrated depth and variety. Marco Jansen and Lockie Ferguson each claimed two wickets, complementing a five‑bowler line‑up that consisted entirely of international‑level players. Their disciplined spell helped keep Phoenix’s total to a modest 137, a score that, while not imposing, still required a measured chase.
Playing in front of co‑owner and local hero Jude Bellingham, the Fire fought hard to stay in contention. When Mahmood clean‑bowled Cox, the equation tightened to six runs needed from seven balls. Root, ever the innovator, unleashed his signature lofted scoop off a good‑length delivery, sending the ball over the fielders and sealing the victory for Welsh Fire, who moved into joint‑first place on the table. Speaking to Sky Sports Cricket, Root summed up the performance: “That is how you want to play cricket – being ruthless and getting it done at the end.
We have a lot of depth in different areas, a lot of bases covered and good variety in our attack. We also have a clear plan for chasing totals, and if we can make Cardiff a tough venue for opponents, it will take us far in the tournament.” In the other fixture, Southern Brave bowled out London Spirit for 105, thanks in large part to a spell of 4 for 9 from England ace Jofra Archer. The Spirit collapsed dramatically, losing their last five wickets for just two runs and handing the Brave a five‑wicket win at Lord’s that kept their season alive.
Jonny Bairstow was the Spirit’s lone standout with a gritty 56, while Marcus Stoinis continued his impressive tournament with the ball, finishing with figures of 3 for 17, which lifted his wicket tally to nine in four matches and placed him atop the competition’s wicket‑taking leaderboard. After a solid start that saw the Spirit at 52 for 2, Bairstow struggled on a tricky surface, scoring a run‑a‑ball 25 before being dismissed. Adil Rashid then claimed Liam Livingstone in deep cover, overtaking Tymal Mills to become the all‑time leading wicket‑taker in The Hundred men’s competition, finishing with 2 for 17. Bairstow reached his half‑century from 40 balls but soon became part of a dramatic collapse as Archer and Stoinis each took two quick wickets, wrapping up the innings with eight balls remaining.
The Brave, needing just 106 to win, were clear favourites but faced a modest chase. Early wickets fell when David Willey (2 for 28) dismissed Ben McKinney for a golden duck and Nikhil Chaudhary for five.
Nevertheless, Jamie Smith steadied the innings, scoring 36 before being given out lbw to James Coles (1 for 13). Adam Zampa (1 for 14) bowled tightly, and Moeen Ali – a replacement for the injured Thomas Rew – was also dismissed.
Stoinis was run‑out, leaving the Brave at 60 for 5 with 46 runs still required from 48 balls. South African pair David Miller and Tristan Stubbs then built a partnership, chipping away at the target. Miller, in particular, struck the ball cleanly, finishing unbeaten on 39 as the Brave clinched the win with three balls to spare.
The victory was crucial for Southern Brave, keeping them in the hunt for an Eliminator spot, while London Spirit now face a steep climb to stay in contention for the knockout phase. Jofra Archer, reflecting on his performance, said, “I’m delighted we got the win today.
It’s the first time I’ve taken more than two wickets in the tournament. Everyone’s been bowling well. We haven’t been taking huge numbers of wickets, but we’ve definitely been keeping the runs down.” He added, “Chasing a small total always looks easy, but we somehow make it harder 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 NOW, offering free access to all the action and analysis.