Phil Salt produced a composed, match-winning cameo as Welsh Fire chased down a target of 135 to beat Southern Brave by six wickets in The Hundred, snapping an eight-match losing streak against their rivals.
Captain holds his nerve
Salt, the Fire captain, endured a mid-innings bowling onslaught from England quick Jofra Archer but anchored the chase alongside Asa Tribe. When the equation boiled down to the closing over, Fire required 14 runs off 10 balls. Salt finished unbeaten on 47 from 37 deliveries, and with four required from three balls he swept Chris Jordan for a six to seal the victory.
Key moments that swung the game
- Southern Brave set a modest target of 135.
- Welsh Fire found themselves needing 14 off 10 late in the chase.
- Salt’s unbeaten 47 included the match-clinching six off Jordan.
- The win ended Fire’s eight-match run without victory over Brave.
The contest was a tight, tense finish rather than a one-sided romp. Salt’s ability to negotiate Archer’s pace and to marshal the chase alongside Tribe underlined both his batting temperament and leadership in pressure moments.
Numbers at a glance
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Target | 135 |
| Salt | 47* off 37 |
| Late requirement | 14 off 10 |
| Decisive blow | Six off Chris Jordan |
Beyond the immediate drama, the result reshapes the psychological ledger between the two sides. An eight-match run without beating a particular opponent becomes an albatross; removing it restores belief and momentum for Welsh Fire as the competition progresses.
Fans and neutrals will now turn to the upcoming schedule: Thursday’s double-header at Lord’s pits London Spirit against Manchester Super Giants, with the women’s game starting at 2.45pm and the men’s at 6.30pm, both live on Sky Sports and YouTube.
For Welsh Fire, the victory will be measured on more than headline figures — it’s the manner of the finish and Salt’s stewardship under duress that will linger. In a format where momentum swings quickly, that final six off Jordan could be worth far more than the runs it scored.
