The Hundred Man Competition, Utilita Bowl

South Braves 135-7 (100 balls): Miller 44 (35); Jansen 2-17

Welsh Fire 138-4 (98 balls): Salt 47* (37); Chaudhary 2-19

Welsh Fire won by six wickets

Scorekeeper. Table

Welsh Fire captain Phil Salt led from the front and his unbeaten 47 helped them start the 2026 Hundred season with a six-wicket win against Southern Brave in Southampton.

Salt, a former world number one T20 batsman, is The Hundred’s all-time leading scorer, having scored 1,138 runs in five seasons with his former team Manchester Originals.

Having signed for the Fire as their captain ahead of this year’s competition, he aims to guide the Welsh franchise, who finished bottom of the men’s and women’s table last season, to their first title.

Chasing 136 on Wednesday, Salt played second fiddle from the start as fellow opener Matt Short scored a spirited 20 before keeping the visitors on course through partnerships with Joe Root (14) and Rachin Ravindra (24).

With nine runs required off the last five balls, Asa Tribe hit Brave captain Chris Jordan’s first ball for four before Salt sealed the win with a six two balls later.

Batting first, Brave lost openers Jamie Smith and Ben McKinney for single figures, but 18-year-old Thomas Rew helped rebuild their innings with an eye-catching 41 from 30 balls.

The Fire pitchers, led by Marco Jansen, who finished 2-17, kept the score in check for much of the innings.

David Miller struggled to find his rhythm at the start of his innings but finished strongly for Brave before departing in the penultimate delivery with a 35-ball 44, taking the hosts to 135-7, which ultimately proved not to be enough.