Jonny Bairstow lit up the Sophia Gardens in Cardiff with a brilliant unbeaten 86 off 50 balls for Welsh Fire in The Hundred 2025, but even his fireworks weren’t enough to get his team over the line.
Jonny Bairstow’s Heroics in Cardiff
Opening the innings, Bairstow smashed six fours and six huge sixes, but Welsh Fire still fell eight runs short against London Spirit on Saturday, August 9. Chasing 164, things looked grim at 55 for 6 before Bairstow and Chris Green fought back with a gutsy 100-run stand off just 53 balls.
Green, coming in at No. 8, chipped in with a valuable 32 not out from 21 balls. The pair gave Welsh Fire hope, but the comeback fell just short in the sixth match of the tournament.
Earlier, David Warner had starred for London Spirit with a classy 70 not out, guiding them to 163/5 in their 100 balls. His knock earned him the Player of the Match award.
Jonny Bairstow Admits England Recall Seems Unlikely
After the match, Bairstow opened up about where he stands with England selection, and it doesn’t sound like he’s expecting a recall anytime soon. Speaking to BBC Sport, he said:
“Look, if an England recall comes, that comes, but I think it’s doubtful, judging by the fact I’ve not really heard too much.”
“I’ve not really heard too much.”
Bairstow last represented England in the T20 World Cup semifinal against India on June 27, 2024. His most recent ODI appearance came in the 2023 World Cup against Pakistan, and his last Test outing was in March 2024 against India at Dharamsala, which was his 100th Test and made him just the 17th player to reach that milestone.
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Jonny Bairstow’s Impact in the Bazball Era
Despite never having a set role in the Test side, Jonny Bairstow became one of the early poster boys for England’s bold “Bazball” approach in 2022, playing fearless cricket that helped define the style.
In franchise cricket, Bairstow recently played for Mumbai Indians in the 2025 IPL, scoring 85 runs in two games after stepping in for Will Jacks.
For Welsh Fire, however, it has been a rocky start as they have lost both of their opening matches and are still looking for their first win of the season. They currently sit sixth in the points table, while Oval Invincibles lead the way with two wins from two matches.
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