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‘I’ve never seen a six so big!’ – Cartwright hits Payne out the ground
The Hundred men’s competition, Sophia Gardens
Southern Brave 129-8 (100 balls): Cartwright 51* (19); Henry 2-5
Welsh Fire 125-8 (100 balls): Kohler-Cadmore 25 (28); Archer 3-20
Brave won by four runs
Southern Brave have revitalized their Hundred campaign, securing a crucial four-run victory against Welsh Fire at Sophia Gardens after suffering three consecutive defeats.
The match hung in the balance as Fire needed 16 runs from the final 10 balls, but the dismissal of Tom Kohler-Cadmore for 25, caught off James Coles, dealt a significant blow to the home team’s chances.
Needing a six off the last ball to win, Matt Henry could only manage a single as Chris Jordan held his composure, leaving Fire at 125-8 with Jofra Archer claiming 3-20.
Hilton Cartwright’s explosive, unbeaten 51 off just 19 balls proved decisive. His innings came after Brave had struggled to 71-5 from 71 balls upon his arrival at number seven.
Cartwright’s powerful display included five sixes, enabling Brave to recover to 129-8 on a challenging surface against Fire. The defeat leaves Fire’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage hanging by a thread, with only one win from their five matches.
Fire had a promising start with the ball, as New Zealand’s Matt Henry delivered the second-most economical spell in the men’s Hundred, taking 2-5 and restricting Brave to 18-1 after the powerplay.
James Vince’s 29 was the only noteworthy contribution from Brave’s top order, with Chris Green and David Payne also taking two wickets each for Fire.
In contrast, Fire began their innings explosively, reaching 46-3 from their first 25 balls. Jonny Bairstow set the tone with an aggressive 22 from 10 balls before being dismissed by Craig Overton.
Archer then removed Steve Smith for 13, before adding Luke Wells and Paul Walter to his wickets tally as Fire’s middle order faltered under pressure.
This victory elevates Brave to third place in the table, while Fire remain at the bottom.
The Hundred 2025 – fixtures, results & reports
Oval Invincibles and Trent Rockets will both aim to rebound from previous defeats when they meet at The Oval at 15:00 BST.
Following that, a top-of-the-table clash will take place in the men’s game at 18:30 BST.
Live ball-by-ball commentary will be available on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds, and the BBC Sport website and app.
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