Jonny Bairstow and Ben Duckett hit half-centuries before Jimmy Neesham grabs three wickets as Welsh Fire beat Southern Brave to make it two wins from two in the Hundred

  • Jonny Bairstow smashed a scintillating 72 from 39 balls to set up a thrilling win
  • Bairstow and Ben Duckett posted the first century partnership in the Hundred
  • Jimmy Neesham took three wickets for five runs from 15 deliveries for the Fire

Welsh Fire squeezed out a second successive victory in The Hundred as they defeated the Southern Brave by 18 runs thanks to a brilliant 72 from Jonny Bairstow.

The Fire batted first and Bairstow and Ben Duckett both passed fifty as they made 165 for four from their 100 balls. Bairstow took his time to get set but once he got going he blasted the Brave attack.

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In reply the Brave started brilliantly with Quinton de Kock and James Vince scoring at will. A crucial three-wicket burst just after the halfway stage of the Brave innings changed the match and allowed the Fire to strangle the chase.

Jonny Bairstow (72) and Ben Duckett (53)  helped the Welsh Fire to a total of 165-4

Just as against the Northern Superchargers the Fire made things difficult for themselves with the ball with some sloppy fielding but they maintained their perfect record.

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The Fire got off to a roaring start thanks to Tom Banton who struck his second and third balls for six and his fourth for four. He raced to 34 from 22 balls before he was bowled by the wrist spin of Jake Lintott.

Bairstow took his time to get set, reaching 20 from 21 balls, but from then on he was brutal on the Brave's bowling. He reached his fifty in 31 balls and finished on 72 from 39.

Jonny Bairstow smashed a scintillating 72 from 39 balls to set up a thrilling victory

Bairstow was brilliantly supported by Duckett who made 53 from 34. The Fire had been 79 for one after 60 balls before plundering 86 runs from the last 40 balls of their innings.

The Brave got off to an amazing start, taking 27 runs from the first 10 balls as the Fire experimented with Glenn Phillips and Matt Critchley to open the bowling.

De Kock raced to 21 from seven balls before he was caught going for another big shot over square leg off the bowling of David Payne. Even after the departure of de Kock the runs continued to flow with Devon Conway and Vince both scoring freely as the Brave reached 85 for one after 50 balls.

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Jonny Bairstow and Ben Duckett posted the first century partnership in the Hundred

Things changed dramatically from there with three batters falling in the space of nine runs and 11 balls with both Conway and Vince dismissed.

The Brave never really recovered from this cluster of wickets with Ross Whiteley's 25 from 14 giving them some hope, but when he departed he took the last of his team's chances with him.

New Zealand bowler Jimmy Neesham took three wickets for five runs from 15 deliveries