Welsh Fire beat Southern Brave by 6 wickets (with 2 balls remaining) – The Hundred Match Report
Welsh Fire won by 6 wickets (with 2 balls remaining) in the 2nd match of 34 in The Hundred at The Rose Bowl, Southampton. Welsh Fire chased down Southern Brave’s 135 with clinical precision, Philip Salt anchoring the chase with an unbeaten 47 off 37 balls as the visitors climbed to 2nd in the early standings.
Southern Brave Stumble to 135
Southern Brave won the toss but elected to bat first, only to find themselves in early trouble. Jamie Smith was clean bowled for 3 at 5/1 in the opening over, and Ben McKinney fell for 4 at 35/2 as the home side stuttered through the powerplay.
Thomas Rew provided some resistance with 41 off 30 balls (5 fours, 1 six), striking at 137 before being caught at 56/3 in the 10th over. David Miller steadied the ship with 44 off 35 (3 fours, 1 six, strike rate 126), building a crucial 77-run stand with Rew, but Southern Brave’s middle order crumbled under pressure.
Tristan Stubbs managed just 4 at 68/4, and Nikhil Chaudhary provided late fireworks with 19 off 12 (3 fours, strike rate 158) before being caught at 108/5. Miller was run out for 44 at 133/6 in the 19th over, leaving Southern Brave to limp to 135/7 from their 20 overs.
Marco Jansen was the standout bowler for Welsh Fire, taking 2/17 from 3.2 overs at an economy of 5.1. Chris Woakes claimed 1/28 from 3.2 overs, while Samuel Cook took 1/27 from 3.2.
Welsh Fire Chase Down Target with Ease
Philip Salt took charge from the outset, striking 47 not out off 37 balls (2 fours, 1 six, strike rate 127) to guide Welsh Fire home with 2 balls to spare. Matthew Short provided early momentum with 20 off 15 (4 fours, strike rate 133) before being caught at 29/1 in the 4th over.
Joe Root contributed 15 off 15 (2 fours) before being run out at 60/2 in the 9th over. Rachin Ravindra struck 24 off 16 (2 fours, strike rate 150) to keep the momentum building, but Welsh Fire’s chase never truly wavered. Jordan Cox was clean bowled for 6 at 117/4, but Salt’s composed innings ensured the target was reached comfortably.
Nikhil Chaudhary was the pick of Southern Brave’s bowlers with 2/19 from 2.3 overs, while Daniel Worrall took 1/15 from 2.3. Luke Wood and Chris Jordan were expensive, conceding 30 and 25 runs respectively.
Statz MVP: Nikhil Chaudhary (Statz Rating: 80.47)
Nikhil Chaudhary earns the Statz MVP award with a rating of 80.47 – the highest of the evening. Despite Southern Brave’s defeat, Chaudhary’s all-round contribution was decisive: 19 off 12 with the bat (strike rate 158) and 2/19 from 2.3 overs with the ball. His explosive batting in the final overs and disciplined bowling during the chase made him the standout performer across both innings.
Top 5 Statz Ratings
- Nikhil Chaudhary (SB) – Statz Rating: 80.47 | 19 off 12 (SR 158) plus 2/19 from 2.3 overs. All-round excellence in a losing effort.
- Marco Jansen (WF) – Statz Rating: 75.24 | 2/17 from 3.2 overs (economy 5.1). Miserly and match-winning bowling display.
- Thomas Rew (SB) – Statz Rating: 64.75 | 41 off 30 (SR 137, 5 fours, 1 six). Bright spot in Southern Brave’s batting collapse.
- Philip Salt (WF) – Statz Rating: 62.59 | 47 not out off 37 (SR 127, 2 fours, 1 six). Composed and unbeaten chase-winning innings.
- David Miller (SB) – Statz Rating: 60.94 | 44 off 35 (SR 126, 3 fours, 1 six). Solid middle-order anchor before run out.
Turning Point
Southern Brave’s collapse in the middle overs proved decisive. After Rew and Miller had built a 77-run stand to stabilise the innings at 56/2, the loss of Stubbs at 68/4 and Chaudhary’s dismissal at 108/5 left them short of a competitive total. Miller’s run out at 133/6 in the 19th over sealed Southern Brave’s fate – 135 proved too light against Welsh Fire’s balanced batting lineup.
Match Context
This was the 2nd match of 34 in The Hundred 2026. Welsh Fire (2nd, 1W 0L, 4pts) made a winning start to their campaign with a clinical chase, while Southern Brave (7th, 0W 1L, 0pts) suffered a disappointing home defeat. Check the full scorecard on Statz for complete details, or explore bet builder markets and The Rose Bowl venue stats.
