David Warner recorded his first half-century in The Hundred, leading London Spirit to victory against Welsh Fire in Cardiff, despite Jonny Bairstow’s remarkable 86 runs.
Bairstow absorbed early setbacks as Welsh Fire found themselves at 55-6 while chasing Spirit’s target of 163. He then launched a spectacular counterattack, coming tantalizingly close to pulling off an upset win.
His innings of 86 off 50 balls included six sixes, scoring 70 runs between the 65th and 95th deliveries, with 17 runs needed in the final five balls.
Warner’s performance was slower but just as crucial, as he skillfully crafted 70 runs. His experience was invaluable in helping Spirit set a competitive score, even on a pitch that offered assistance to bowlers.
Before Bairstow’s fireworks, Liam Dawson (1-25) and Richard Gleeson (1-25) were effective with the ball for the Spirit. Although there were moments of concern about preserving their lead, the runs compiled ultimately led to their victory, with Welsh Fire finishing just eight runs short. The win was a good start for Spirit’s key player Kane Williamson (14 off 14) and coach Justin Langer.
Meanwhile, Will Jacks and Tawanda Muyeye propelled Oval Invincibles to a nine-wicket triumph over Manchester Originals in The Hundred. They contributed 120 out of the 129 runs needed, with Jacks scoring an explosive 61 off 26 balls and Muyeye adding 59 off 28.
The Invincibles completed the chase in just 57 balls. Lewis Gregory ended the 144-run partnership but Muyeye, along with Jordan Cox (seven off three), secured the remaining runs to clinch a second consecutive victory.
Early wickets put Manchester Originals under pressure, with captain Phil Salt reaching just 41 runs before becoming Rashid’s second wicket. The Originals struggled to find momentum, finishing with a total of 128, marking their second defeat of the tournament.
How do matches work?
- One hundred balls per side; the team with the most runs wins.
- Five bowlers can bowl up to 20 balls in an innings, with the possibility of delivering five or 10 in a row.
- Traditional six-ball overs are not utilized; ten balls are bowled before switching ends.
- A powerplay exists for the first 25 balls, restricting fielders outside the 30-yard circle to two.
- A minimum of 25 balls per side can be played if weather interferes.
- If a match is tied in knockout stages, a Super 5 is played to determine the winner based on runs scored from an additional five balls each.
Watch every match in the women’s and men’s competitions live on Sky Sports from August 5-31.
