Southern Brave Edge Welsh Fire in Thrilling Hundred Clash as Archer & Cartwright Deliver Masterclass
Southern Brave clinch a nail-biting 4-run victory against Welsh Fire in The Hundred, fueled by Hilton Cartwright's explosive 51* and Jofra Archer's 3-wicket haul. Match analysis and key moments from Sophia Gardens thriller.
Dramatic Finale at Sophia Gardens
In a heart-stopping conclusion to The Hundred men's clash, Southern Brave defended 129-8 against Welsh Fire through sheer nerve and tactical brilliance. The match reached fever pitch as Fire required 16 from the final 10 deliveries, only for veteran campaigner Chris Jordan to ice the game with precision death bowling.
Turning Point: Cartwright's Blitzkrieg
- Hilton Cartwright rewrote the momentum script with a 19-ball 51* (SR 268.42)
- Hammered 5 sixes including a 106m maximum off David Payne
- Rescued Brave from 71-5 in 71 balls to competitive 129-8
- "That Payne six might still be orbiting Cardiff!" - BBC Matchday Commentary
Bowling Highlights
- Jofra Archer's 3-20 (20 balls):
- Key wickets: Steve Smith (13), Luke Wells, Paul Walter
- Crucial 10-ball spell during Fire's middle-order collapse
- Matt Henry's historic 2-5 (20 balls):
- Second-most economical spell in men's Hundred history
- Reduced Brave to 18-1 in powerplay
Tactical Breakdown
- Fire's Powerplay Surge: 46-3 in 25 balls
- Jonny Bairstow's 22 (10) explosive start
- Craig Overton's breakthrough: Bairstow caught at deep square
- Death Bowling Clinic:
- James Coles' match-changing 18th over (2 wickets)
- Jordan's final 5 balls: 4 singles + crucial dot
| Impact on Standings | Team | Position | Points | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brave | 3rd | 6 | +0.31 | |
| Fire | 8th | 2 | -0.89 |
Post-Match Reactions
- Cartwright: "When you're chasing 130, you back your bowlers. That Archer spell was pure box office."
- Fire Coach: "Losing TKC (Kohler-Cadmore) in the 90th ball broke our spine. Need to rebuild for 2024."
The Hundred 2023: What's Next?
- Thursday Doubleheader:
- 15:00 BST: Oval Invincibles vs Trent Rockets (Women)
- 18:30 BST: Table-toppers clash (Men)
- Follow live on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra & BBC Sport digital platforms
What to Read Next
Southern Brave secured a commanding nine-wicket victory against Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred 2025, propelled by Jofra Archer's fiery 2-16 and Michael Bracewell's economical 3-10. The Brave's clinical bowling restricted Phoenix to 106-7 before Leus du Plooy's unbeaten 48 guided the chase in just 81 balls. This win elevates Brave alongside defending champions Oval Invincibles atop the standings, while Phoenix remain winless after two matches.
Heather Knight's unbeaten 79 anchored England's tense four-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the Women's Cricket World Cup, overcoming a dramatic middle-order collapse on a spin-friendly Guwahati pitch.
Glamorgan extends head coach Richard Dawson's contract through 2025, building on their County Championship Division 2 success and revitalized T20 campaign under his leadership.
England's legendary pace bowler James Anderson continues rewriting cricket history by extending his Lancashire contract through 2026 at age 44, maintaining peak performance across formats while mentoring future stars.
England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt reflects on the team's dramatic transformation since the Ashes defeat, unveiling renewed confidence ahead of their World Cup opener against South Africa.
England seamer Lauren Bell's 3-28 bowling masterclass and Laura Wolvaardt's unbeaten 42 guided Southern Brave to a dominant six-wicket victory against Manchester Originals in The Hundred Women's tournament opener.
India's Test campaign suffers setback as all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy withdraws from England series with knee injury, while Arshdeep Singh's thumb fracture adds to selection headaches ahead of decisive Manchester Test.
Southern Brave's tailenders staged a dramatic comeback to snatch a one-wicket victory over Manchester Originals in a tense Hundred clash, with Reece Topley hitting the winning boundary off the penultimate ball.
England's spin-heavy attack dismantled South Africa for 69 runs, securing a commanding 10-wicket win in their World Cup opener. Linsey Smith's 3-7 spell and clinical batting from Jones and Beaumont highlighted the rout.
Manchester Originals secure a dominant 10-wicket victory over Trent Rockets in The Hundred Women's Competition, fueled by Kathryn Bryce's 61* and Beth Mooney's 47* in a record-breaking opening partnership.
Trent Rockets stay alive in The Hundred women's tournament through Alana King's 3-17 spin masterclass and Ash Gardner's all-round brilliance, defeating Welsh Fire by 23 runs in Cardiff thriller.
Zak Crawley's career-best 67* off 38 balls guided Northern Superchargers to an emphatic 8-wicket victory against Welsh Fire in The Hundred, supported by Harry Brook's explosive cameo and Fire's fielding blunders.
James Anderson advocates for Jofra Archer's Test recall as England face pivotal selection decisions ahead of Lord's showdown against India. Analysis of bowling tactics and squad dynamics.
Ben Stokes' first five-wicket haul since 2017 and a blistering 166-run opening stand between Crawley and Duckett put England in control against India on Day 2 of the pivotal Fourth Test at Old Trafford.
London Spirit maintains team identity after major US tech consortium investment while outlining plans to strengthen performance and branding in cricket's revolutionary Hundred competition.
