At Sophia Gardens in The Hundred men’s competition, Welsh Fire kept their hopes alive for a spot in the knockout stages with a tense six-wicket win against London Spirit.
London Spirit struggled to 109-9 in their innings from 100 balls, with Bopara’s unbeaten 24 off 20 balls as a highlight. Welsh Fire’s bowlers, particularly Henry and Payne who both claimed two wickets each, held dominance over the Spirit’s batting lineup.
In reply, Welsh Fire found themselves in a tricky situation at 15-3, but Jonny Bairstow’s 40 and Tom Abell’s unbeaten 37 guided the chase to a successful conclusion with seven balls to spare.
This victory takes Welsh Fire to fifth place, equating them with Trent Rockets and Southern Brave in third and fourth places respectively, with just one more game to go. London Spirit is a single point behind in sixth and will face the already-ousted Birmingham Phoenix in their final match.
Additional insights:
- England Test opener Zak Crawley faced six scoreless balls at the beginning of the match before being dismissed by David Willey for only two runs from 11 balls.
- New Zealand players Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson were introduced by Welsh Fire in place of Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf, who left for international duty. Both Kiwis claimed two wickets, along with fellow Fire seamers Willey and Payne.
- London Spirit’s score looked in danger of falling short of 100, but late-inning contributions from Matt Critchley, Liam Dawson, and Ravi Bopara bolstered their total.
- Spirit’s fast bowler Dan Worrall bowled his complete quota of 20 balls before the powerplay ended, achieving figures of 3-24.
- In a thrilling finale, Welsh Fire required 22 from 15 balls, but a quick 15 runs from five balls saw them past the challenge, with Abell’s back-to-back boundary and six off Daryl Mitchell proving crucial.
- Glenn Phillips, who had made an impressive catch earlier, finished the match with a significant six.
Post-match reactions:
Fire’s captain Abell praised the team, saying he was thrilled with the win, as they had to adapt to the pitch and expressed confidence in their world-class bowling unit.
Jonny Bairstow, speaking on Sky Sports, talked about the need to be calculated on a difficult wicket and the importance of adapting to various tempos during the game.
The Hundred matches are broadcast on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer every Wednesday and Saturday, including both finals on Sunday, August 27th. More information can be found [here].
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Welsh Fire
Who won the match between Welsh Fire and London Spirit in The Hundred 2023?
Welsh Fire won the match by six wickets, keeping their playoff hopes alive.
What were the scores for Welsh Fire and London Spirit?
London Spirit scored 109-9 in 100 balls, while Welsh Fire reached 110-4 in 93 balls.
Who were the standout performers in the match?
For Welsh Fire, Jonny Bairstow scored 40, and Tom Abell scored an unbeaten 37, while Henry and Payne took two wickets each. For London Spirit, Bopara scored 24 not out, and Dan Worrall took 3-24.
Where does this win place Welsh Fire in the standings?
The victory moves Welsh Fire to fifth place, level on points with Trent Rockets and Southern Brave, with one game left to play.
When and where can I watch The Hundred matches?
You can watch The Hundred matches on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer every Wednesday and Saturday, including both finals on Sunday, August 27th.
More about Welsh Fire
- The Hundred Official Website
- BBC Sports Coverage of The Hundred
- Sky Sports Cricket
- ESPNcricinfo’s Coverage of The Hundred
6 comments
Wow, Welsh Fire really pulled it off! Thought they were done at 15-3. Go Fire!
Great to see the Kiwi boys Henry and Ferguson doing well. 2 wickets each, not bad at all.
Bairstow is still got it, what a player. The Hundred is really getting exciting now, cant wait for the playoffs!
im so sad for Spirit. they were looking good for a while. But great bowling from Fire. Deserved win.
Didnt expect Abell and Bairstow to pull it back. nailbiting stuff, their partnership made all the difference.
where can i watch the highlights, Missed the match and want to catch up on the action.