Southern Brave secured their first win of The Hundred Men’s Competition 2026 season by defeating Birmingham Phoenix by 12 runs at The Rose Bowl in Southampton on Thursday, July 30. Brave posted 128/8 from their 100 balls after Birmingham Phoenix won the toss and chose to field, before restricting the visitors to 116/9.
The result lifted Southern Brave one place from the bottom of the table and ended a difficult start to their campaign. Birmingham Phoenix, meanwhile, suffered another setback after entering the match looking to recover from their heavy defeat in the previous game.
Southern Brave post 128 on difficult batting surface
Batting first, Southern Brave reached 128/8 from their allotted 100 balls on a surface where strokeplay was not easy. Marcus Stoinis described the conditions as challenging and said it was difficult to determine what constituted a good total on the fresh wicket.
Stoinis felt an additional 10 runs could have made the target more comfortable, but Southern Brave’s bowlers and fielders made the 128-run total competitive by adapting effectively to the conditions.
The bowling unit relied on changes of pace and disciplined bowling to make scoring difficult for Birmingham Phoenix. Stoinis also contributed with the ball, using subtle variations to make an impact on the surface.
Birmingham Phoenix struggle to build momentum
Chasing 129, Birmingham Phoenix found it difficult to maintain a consistent scoring rate. Southern Brave’s new-ball bowlers kept the pressure on, while slower deliveries gripped the surface and occasional quicker balls created further problems for the Phoenix batters.
Stoinis dismissed Joe Clarke on the final ball of the powerplay, giving Brave important momentum. Will Smeed also attempted to force the pace after getting a start but was dismissed as Birmingham Phoenix continued to lose wickets at crucial stages.
The visitors’ innings gradually slipped away as Southern Brave kept taking wickets and maintained pressure. However, Sean Dickson revived Birmingham Phoenix’s hopes late in the chase with two sixes during Chris Jordan’s penultimate set.
Sean Dickson keeps Birmingham Phoenix alive
Dickson produced a late burst when the match appeared to be moving decisively in Southern Brave’s favour. He struck Jordan for sixes in the 92nd and 94th balls before also finding a boundary after an error in the field.
With 14 runs required from the final five balls, Birmingham Phoenix still had a mathematical chance. But Luke Wood produced an outstanding final set to close out the contest.
Luke Wood seals Southern Brave victory
Wood turned the final set into a decisive sequence. Ben Dwarshuis was caught by David Miller from the first ball, Scott Currie was caught behind by Jamie Smith two balls later, and Saqib Mahmood was run out by Adil Rashid from the next delivery.
The three consecutive dismissals left Birmingham Phoenix needing 14 runs from three balls. Wood then kept Dickson quiet with a dot ball before the batter managed only a single from the final delivery.
That left Birmingham Phoenix on 116/9 from their 100 balls, 12 runs short of Southern Brave’s total.
Chris Jordan praises bowling attack and Adil Rashid
Southern Brave captain Chris Jordan said the team’s fielding and bowling discipline were crucial to defending what was a modest total. He also highlighted Adil Rashid’s contribution during the match.
Jordan explained that he had deliberately avoided repeatedly using the same bowler because of the variety available in his attack. However, the situation changed when Mitchell Owen became an important wicket and Rashid was brought back for consecutive sets.
Jordan also praised Rashid’s ability to perform under pressure, pointing to his bowling and his run-out contribution in the final set as examples of his influence.
On Jofra Archer, Jordan said he was pleased with how the fast bowler responded after conceding a boundary, noting that Archer subsequently bowled at more than 90 mph.
Stoinis says Southern Brave needed the win
Stoinis described the victory as an important result for a Southern Brave side that had endured several close matches at the start of the tournament. He said the team needed to find a way to win regardless of the total posted at the halfway stage.
“Yeah, we’re pumped. Obviously we needed that. We’ve had some close games and we got over the line in this one.”
He also said the team’s fielding played a major role and acknowledged that some small areas of discipline still needed improvement, including wides that affected their time management.
Southern Brave finally open their account
The 12-run victory ended Southern Brave’s losing run after they had started the tournament with three defeats. The team had been at the bottom of the points table before the match and needed a result to keep its campaign alive.
The victory also completed a double for Southern Brave’s men’s and women’s teams against Birmingham Phoenix on the same day, according to the match coverage.
Southern Brave now have momentum to build on after a performance in which their bowlers and fielders successfully defended a competitive score on a difficult batting surface. Birmingham Phoenix, meanwhile, will need to regroup after another defeat.
Southern Brave vs Birmingham Phoenix: Match Summary
| Match Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Competition | The Hundred Men’s Competition 2026 |
| Match | 13th Match |
| Date | Thursday, July 30, 2026 |
| Venue | The Rose Bowl, Southampton |
| Toss | Birmingham Phoenix won the toss and opted to field |
| Southern Brave | 128/8 (100 balls) |
| Birmingham Phoenix | 116/9 (100 balls) |
| Result | Southern Brave won by 12 runs |
| Player of the Match | Not specified in the supplied match information |
Source: Match commentary and information supplied in the source material.
