Luke Wood finished the job at the Utilita Bowl, and Southern Brave took their first win of the season with a 12-run victory over Birmingham Phoenix. The result moved Southern Brave off the bottom of The Hundred men's competition, with Southern Daily Echo readers getting the key swing in one line: 128-8 defended, 116-9 chased down short.
Wood closes it out
Southern Brave defended 128-8 after putting Birmingham Phoenix in for 129, and Wood’s spell did the last of the damage. He took 3-24, then struck three times in consecutive deliveries in the final set as Birmingham Phoenix finished on 116-9.
Will Smeed made 35 from 28 balls for Birmingham Phoenix, the top score in their chase, but Wood’s endgame left no room for recovery. Saqib Mahmood was run out by Adil Rashid’s direct hit, and the innings ended with Birmingham Phoenix short by 12 runs.
Stoinis carries Brave
Marcus Stoinis gave Southern Brave their best return with 34 from 26 balls and 2-16, while Jofra Archer added 1-21 and Adil Rashid took 1-18. That all-round output mattered because Brave never produced a partnership greater than 33, yet still found enough runs to defend.
Jamie Smith’s seven-ball stay ended when he was caught by Mitch Owen off Ben Dwarshuis, and the rest of the batting effort was spread across Ben McKinney’s 18, Tom Abell’s 22 and David Miller’s 24. Southern Brave also lost four middle-order wickets for 12 runs, a burst that should have left them exposed but instead made the eventual defense more efficient than pretty.
Seventh on net run-rate
The win lifted Southern Brave off the bottom and into seventh on net run-rate, which is the practical prize from a result like this: one good chase can change the table faster than a narrow loss can. For Birmingham Phoenix, the chase stalled at 116-9 after a start anchored by Smeed, and the margin leaves no room for comfort in a short competition where one set can swing the standings.
Manchester Super Giants face Trent Rockets in Manchester on Friday at 15:00 BST, and Southern Brave now have the breathing room that comes from finally turning a defended 128 into points. They did it despite a flat batting shape and a messy middle, which is usually enough to lose these matches.
