Southern Brave beat Birmingham Phoenix by 12 runs – The Hundred Match Report
Southern Brave won by 12 runs in the 13th match of 34 in The Hundred 2026 at The Rose Bowl. Marcus Stoinis delivered a match-defining all-round performance – 34 off 26 with the bat and 2/16 with the ball – to guide Southern Brave to a hard-fought victory and keep their tournament hopes alive. The win marks Southern Brave’s first success of the campaign, while Birmingham Phoenix slip to 7th despite a spirited chase.
Southern Brave Bat First – 128 for 8
Birmingham Phoenix won the toss and elected to bowl first at The Rose Bowl. Southern Brave’s innings got off to a shaky start, with Jamie Smith falling for just 6 at 7/1 in the opening over. Ben McKinney provided early impetus with 18 off 9 (2 fours, 1 six) before departing at 40/2 in the 5th over.
Tom Abell steadied the ship with 22 off 19 (2 fours), but the real catalyst came from Marcus Stoinis. The Australian all-rounder struck 34 off 26 balls (2 fours, 2 sixes) at a strike rate of 131, building crucial partnerships to lift Southern Brave from 55/3 in the 8th over to 87/4 by the 12th. David Miller chipped in with 24 off 21 (1 six), but Southern Brave’s middle order collapsed, losing five wickets for 41 runs between overs 12 and 18.
Rehan Ahmed was the standout bowler for Birmingham Phoenix, claiming 3/25 from 3.2 overs at an economy of 7.5. Ben Dwarshuis took 2/18 from 3.2 overs, while Scott Currie picked up 1/47 from 4.1 overs. Southern Brave’s final total of 128 for 8 looked vulnerable, but their bowling attack had other ideas.
Birmingham Phoenix Fall Short in Chase – 116 for 9
Joe Clarke opened cautiously for Birmingham Phoenix, scoring just 7 off 10 before falling at 28/1 in the 4th over. Will Smeed took centre stage with a fluent 35 off 28 (3 fours, 1 six) at a strike rate of 125, keeping the chase on track. Rehan Ahmed contributed 16 off 16 (1 six), but the middle order crumbled under pressure.
Luke Wood was exceptional with the ball for Southern Brave, claiming 3/24 from 3.2 overs at an economy of 7.5 – a miserly spell that proved decisive. Marcus Stoinis added 2/16 from 3.2 overs, while Jofra Archer took 1/21 from 3.2 overs. Adil Rashid chipped in with 1/18 from 3.2 overs. Sean Dickson struck 20 off 13 (1 four, 2 sixes) in a late cameo, but Birmingham Phoenix fell 12 runs short at 116 for 9.
Statz MVP: Marcus Stoinis (Statz Rating: 118.03)
Marcus Stoinis earns the Statz MVP award with a rating of 118.03. His 34 off 26 with the bat provided the backbone to Southern Brave’s total, while his 2/16 with the ball strangled Birmingham Phoenix’s chase at a crucial juncture. Stoinis’ combined impact across both disciplines was the difference between the two sides.
Top 5 Statz Ratings
- Marcus Stoinis (SB) – Statz Rating: 118.03 | 34 off 26 (SR 131) plus 2/16 with the ball. Dominant all-round display in a tight contest.
- Rehan Ahmed (BP) – Statz Rating: 91.31 | 3/25 from 3.2 overs plus 16 off 16 with the bat. Strong all-round contribution in defeat.
- Ben Dwarshuis (BP) – Statz Rating: 74.38 | 2/18 from 3.2 overs. Tight bowling in the powerplay set the tone.
- Luke Wood (SB) – Statz Rating: 73.51 | 3/24 from 3.2 overs at economy 7.5. Match-winning spell under pressure.
- Will Smeed (BP) – Statz Rating: 57.36 | 35 off 28 (SR 125, 3 fours, 1 six). Top scorer in a losing effort.
Turning Point
The match turned when Luke Wood took 3 wickets in his spell from overs 1 to 3.2 of Birmingham Phoenix’s chase. With the score at 64/3 in the 11th over, Rehan Ahmed was caught, and the momentum shifted decisively. Donovan Ferreira was bowled by Wood at 65/5 in the 12th over, and Mitchell Owen followed at 89/6 in the 15th. From that point, Birmingham Phoenix’s chase was effectively over.
Match Context
This was the 13th match of 34 in The Hundred 2026 group stage. Southern Brave (8th, 0W 3L, 0pts) finally register their first win of the tournament, moving off the bottom of the table. Birmingham Phoenix (7th, 1W 1L, 4pts) remain in the hunt but will rue their inability to close out a chase they had within reach. Check the full scorecard and head-to-head record on Statz for complete match statistics.
