Southern Brave beat London Spirit by 5 wickets (with 3 balls remaining) – The Hundred Match Report
Southern Brave won by 5 wickets (with 3 balls remaining) in the 16th match of 34 in The Hundred 2026 at Lord’s. Jofra Archer delivered a devastating spell of 4/9 from 3.2 overs – an economy rate of just 2.81 – to dismantle London Spirit‘s batting and then guide the chase with clinical precision. The Brave move to 4th (2W 3L, 8pts) while Spirit slip to 7th (1W 3L, 4pts) with qualification hopes fading.
London Spirit Collapse to 105 All Out
Southern Brave won the toss and elected to bowl, a decision that proved inspired. Lhuan-dre Pretorius fell early for 11 off 8 balls at 14/1 in the 2.2nd over, but Jonny Bairstow anchored the innings with a composed 56 off 43 balls (5 fours, 2 sixes) at a strike rate of 130. James Rew contributed 11 off 12, and the pair steadied Spirit to 44/2 in the 7th over.
But the middle order crumbled under Brave’s relentless attack. Liam Livingstone managed just 5 off 8 before being caught at 56/4 in the 10th over, while Dewald Brevis fell for 1 at 64/5. James Coles (2 off 3) and Jamie Overton (10 off 9) offered brief resistance, but Spirit limped to 105 all out from 15.2 overs – a total that never looked competitive.
Jofra Archer was the architect of Spirit’s downfall, claiming 4/9 from 3.2 overs with a miserly economy of 2.81. Marcus Stoinis chipped in with 3/17 from 2.5 overs, while Adil Rashid took 2/17 from 3.2. Chris Jordan claimed 1/24 from 2.3 overs as Brave’s bowling attack suffocated Spirit’s batsmen.
Brave Chase Down with Ease
Chasing 106, Southern Brave made light work of the target despite losing five wickets. Jamie Smith struck 36 off just 22 balls (4 fours, 2 sixes) at a strike rate of 164 to set the tone, but fell lbw at 55/1 in the 7th over. Ben McKinney was bowled for a duck at 2/2 in the opening over, and Nikhil Chaudhary departed for 5 at 31/3.
Moeen Ali managed 9 off 14 before being caught at 59/4, while Marcus Stoinis was run out for 3 at 60/5. But David Miller took control with an unbeaten 39 off 28 balls (4 fours, 2 sixes) at a strike rate of 139, steering Brave home with 3 balls to spare. Tristan Stubbs remained unbeaten on 12 off 20 to seal the victory.
David Willey was Spirit’s standout bowler with 2/28 from 2.3 overs, while Adam Zampa took 1/14 from 3.2 and James Coles claimed 1/13 from 3.2. But with the bat, Spirit’s collapse proved decisive.
Statz MVP: Jofra Archer (Statz Rating: 176.85)
Jofra Archer earns the Statz MVP award with a rating of 176.85 – the standout performance of the match. His 4/9 from 3.2 overs dismantled Spirit’s batting lineup and set the platform for Brave’s chase. Archer’s economy rate of 2.81 was exceptional, and his impact on match outcome was decisive. The official Man of the Match award also went to Archer.
Top 5 Statz Ratings
- Jofra Archer (SB) – Statz Rating: 176.85 | 4/9 from 3.2 overs (economy 2.81) – Devastating spell that dismantled Spirit’s batting and won the match.
- Jonny Bairstow (LS) – Statz Rating: 83.29 | 56 off 43 (SR 130, 5 fours, 2 sixes) – Lone bright spot in Spirit’s collapse.
- Jamie Smith (SB) – Statz Rating: 74 | 36 off 22 (SR 164, 4 fours, 2 sixes) – Explosive start to the chase before falling lbw.
- David Miller (SB) – Statz Rating: 72.06 | 39 not out off 28 (SR 139, 4 fours, 2 sixes) – Unbeaten finish to seal victory with composure.
- Adil Rashid (SB) – Statz Rating: 62.42 | 2/17 from 3.2 overs (economy 0.85) – Tight bowling in Spirit’s innings.
Turning Point
The match turned decisively when Jofra Archer took 4/9 from 3.2 overs. His opening spell in the 1st and 2nd overs set the tone, removing Pretorius and Rew in quick succession. By restricting Spirit to 105, Archer had already won the match before Brave’s chase began. The target was always within reach, and Miller’s unbeaten 39 simply confirmed the inevitable.
Match Context
This was the 16th match of 34 in The Hundred 2026 group stage. Southern Brave (4th, 2W 3L, 8pts) move level with Manchester Super Giants and MI London on points, keeping their qualification hopes alive. London Spirit (7th, 1W 3L, 4pts) slip further down the table with only Birmingham Phoenix below them. See the full scorecard on Statz for the complete breakdown, or check the bet builder for match insights.
