In a nail-biting encounter at The Hundred Men’s Competition, Southern Brave (SB) overcame Welsh Fire (WF) in a pulsating SB vs WF encounter. A scorching half-century by Hilton Cartwright, coupled with calm death bowling led by Jofra Archer, ensured Brave emerged victorious in a hair-raising victory and maintained their hopes of making the playoffs.
SB vs WF Recap: Cartwright’s 19-Ball Blitz Saves Brave
Choosing to bowl first in seam-friendly conditions, Welsh Fire were in charge in the early stages. Their new-ball combination, Matt Henry and David Payne, embarked on an incendiary spell, conceding just 20 of the first 25 balls. Henry was particularly ruthless, sending back Jason Roy and Leus du Plooy, finishing with a breathtaking 2 for 5 in 20 balls, one of the most frugal spells in The Hundred’s brief existence.
Fighting captain James Vince attempted to stabilize the innings with a courageous 29 before being dismissed by Chris Green, leaving SB in a vulnerable spot at halfway. But the plans of Hilton Cartwright were different.
Hilton Cartwright: The Game Changer in SB vs WF
Cartwright reversed the fortunes of the match with a remarkable exhibition of power-hitting. The Australian batter crunched five sixes as he went on to make a whirlwind 19-ball 50 and remained unbeaten on 51. His ability to blend brute force with creative stroke play took Southern Brave to a defendable score of 129 for 8.
“I took the game on and it paid off, thankfully… It was an all-round team effort,” said Cartwright after the match.
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Fire Start Strong But Brave Bowlers Hold Nerve
Welsh Fire started their pursuit with vigor. Jonny Bairstow started with a flourish, hitting Craig Overton and Reece Topley to sprint to 23 from the initial 10 balls. But his top-scoring 22 turned the tide in favor of the Brave.
Even after a gritty blow by Tom Kohler-Cadmore (25), Fire’s innings stuttered under pressure. With 27 required off the last 20 balls, and only the tail remaining to back Kohler-Cadmore, the job became more challenging.
Jofra Archer and Chris Jordan Seal SBvsWF Thriller
Coles-of-key death overs by Jofra Archer and Chris Jordan were decisive. Archer showed nerves of steel, giving away only four runs in a telling late spell. Even a stumping chance dropped behind the wickets off David Payne could not stop the Brave.
In the last over, with 12 required from 5 balls, Jordan performed wonderfully under pressure. He checked the runs, as Fire were short and Southern Brave sealed a historic victory in the SB vs WF match.
SB vs WF Result: Southern Brave Stay Alive in Playoff Race
With this victory, Southern Brave are still well placed in the playoff contention, whereas Welsh Fire have to lament a lost chance after they failed to chase a humble total.
Key Performers – SB vs WF
Hilton Cartwright (Southern Brave): 51* (19 balls), 5 sixes
Matt Henry (Welsh Fire): 2 for 5 (20 balls)
Jofra Archer (Southern Brave): Death overs heroics
Chris Jordan (Southern Brave): Heroics in the final set
Tom Kohler-Cadmore (Welsh Fire): 25 in pressure situations
All-Round Team Effort Keeps Brave in Contention
The SB vs WF game was a rollercoaster of match-winning performances under pressure. Cartwright’s power hitting and the disciplined death bowling group provided Southern Brave with a desperately needed victory. With The Hundred coming closer to the business part, this outcome may become a deciding factor in determining the knockout rounds.
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