eased through long-off for the win! Full length, pumped back past the bowler's outstretched hand, and that's a big statement
Fire vs Brave, 25th Match at Southampton, Men's Hundred, Aug 11 2021 - Ball by Ball Commentary
RESULT
25th Match (N), Southampton, August 11, 2021, The Hundred Men's Competition
144/5
(87/100 balls, T:145) 147/2
Brave won by 8 wickets (with 13 balls remaining)
New
SB-M
Full commentary
9.08pm That's your lot for tonight. A fine day to be Brave. From Miller, Valkerie, PDP, Ranjith and Matt Roller at the Ageas, thanks and goodnight!
9.02pm Well, that was as easy as the margin of victory makes it seem. Eight wickets, with 13 balls to spare, and Brave vault to the top of the table (when it updates...), with Fire condemned to the also-rans. Fifties from Quinton de Kock and James Vince, captain and senior player, and a turbo-charged opening gambit from Paul Stirling and, well, that was the game sealed. Mills and Jordan were once again outstanding at the death. It's been a good day for the home side, with the women confirmed in the final on August 21, and the men almost there too.
Quinton de Kock is the Match Hero. "We needed this win, an important game for us, glad to get over the line. I wasn't getting much of a chance [in the Powerplay] but I kept going on that wicket, patience was needed there. Nice to get over the line and get some runs and get the team a win. Enjoying my cricket in a new format, new country, new team-mates. We read the wicket and play the situation."
Craig: "QDK- what a box office player! Worth the admission fee alone to watch him bat." Indeed. And to think he was a replacement for Warner. Not a bad signing all told!
87
4
Payne to Davies, FOUR runs
86
1
Payne to de Kock, 1 run
over the wicket, into the blockhole, but cuffed out to point
after 85 balls12 runs
SB-M: 142/2Need 3 from 15 balls
Alex Davies14 (8b 2x4)
Quinton de Kock56 (31b 5x4 2x6)
Luke Fletcher 1/24 (15)
Celine : "A win here now and Brave will be on top of the Table!" I suspect that's a given...
85
1
Fletcher to Davies, 1 run
clipped off the pads to square leg
84
4
Fletcher to Davies, FOUR runs
boshed through wide long-on! It's almost done now
Rose: "I personally think Welsh Fire should be Western not Welsh and based between Bristol and Cardiff - otherwise Wales might be stretched (given the teams are nominally based on counties). If we want more teams, a friend of mine suggested adding in the Dutch, Irish and Scottish teams (like the old 40 over comp) which is a solid idea" I think the ECB gambled on finally unlocking the latent Welsh interest in cricket, and have broadly discovered it's not quite as rich a seam as they thought!
83
1
Fletcher to de Kock, 1 run
slower ball, full toss, on the pads, nibbled to square leg
82
4
Fletcher to de Kock, FOUR runs
they all count! A wafty hack across the line, a fat outside-edge through third man!
HarryFD: "Al Davies is one of those that comes under the "busy" category isn't he. Would be great to see him bat with Warner in future editions, their running would be immense. "
81
2
Fletcher to de Kock, 2 runs
slower bouncer, QDK taps the ball in front of square, and somehow burgles two runs from a ball that goes nowhere. That's his fifty, back to back in the competition
CHANGE OF END
after 80 balls15 runs
SB-M: 130/2Need 15 from 20 balls
Quinton de Kock49 (28b 4x4 2x6)
Alex Davies9 (6b 1x4)
Qais Ahmad 1/33 (20)
I don't think there's any coming back from that tenderising
80
1
Qais to de Kock, 1 run
turning down the leg side, helped on its way for the single
79
6
Qais to de Kock, SIX runs
who needs finesse when you've got raw power! Deep in the crease, seizing the length, muscled over square leg!
78
•
Qais to de Kock, no run
pushed through outside off, good follow-up, QDK can't connect on his nudge to third man
77
4
Qais to de Kock, FOUR runs
QDK has broken the game! Fuller length, in his arc, a backside-slapping wallop into the gap at wide long-on!
76
4
Qais to de Kock, FOUR runs
reverse-sweep, that's brilliant! So was the attempted stop at backward square, but that was racing across the outfield
Qais is back. A big five balls...
after 75 balls9 runs
SB-M: 115/2Need 30 from 25 balls
Alex Davies9 (6b 1x4)
Quinton de Kock34 (23b 2x4 1x6)
Graeme White 0/21 (15)
75
1
White to Davies, 1 run
tapped to the leg side again, more hustling on the first run but this time the sweeper is primed to mop up
74
2
White to Davies, 2 runs
nibbled to the on-side, excellent running to get back for the second. Urgent
73
4
White to Davies, FOUR runs
leaning back, in to out, that's perfection! This is a big set. A few dots and the rate would be getting tricky, but that boundary eases the pressure considerably
72
1
White to de Kock, 1 run
poked to cover
Craig: "Do the fire relocate for 2022? Cardiff really hasn't worked- Bristol surely deserves a Hundred side.. South West Fire anyone?" It's the big question. Probably more likely that they add a ninth team to cover Bristol and Taunton
71
1
White to Davies, 1 run
angled bat on the full length, pushed out to point
CHANGE OF END
after 70 balls4 runs • 1 wicket
SB-M: 106/2Need 39 from 30 balls
Alex Davies1 (2b)
Quinton de Kock33 (22b 2x4 1x6)
Qais Ahmad 1/18 (15)
70
1
Qais to Davies, 1 run
full length, tapped in front of square, an easy single to get off the mark
69
•
Qais to Davies, no run
outside off, cuffed to cover, who gathers with a tumble
Alex Davies enters with a game to be wrapped up
Tonight's crowd is a more-than-adequate 11,449
68
W
Qais to Vince, OUT
heaved high into the night sky, but straight at long-on! It looked good off the bat, but Vince got more height than distance, and Qais prises a timely wicket!
James Vince c Cockbain b Qais Ahmad 53 (39b 6x4 1x6 40m) SR: 135.89
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