From: Ed Mace
Leeds, 9 August 2026:
The explosive batting lineup of Sunrisers Leeds proved far too much for the Welsh Fire as they secured a statement 71-run win on their road to The Hundred Eliminator.
Both teams needed a win to put themselves in command of their route to the Eliminator with the loser requiring multiple results to go their way.
Put into bat at their home ground, Sunrisers got off to a flyer in keeping with their form this campaign. Mitchell Marsh and Ryan Rickelton made use of wayward powerplay bowling to reach 58-0 after 25 deliveries as the opening quartet of pace bowlers struggled.
It was Rickelton who was the first to be dismissed, getting a thick edge off Chris Woakes which needed an athletic catch from Lockie Ferguson. The South African had to go for 40 from 22 just after the halfway mark with Sunrisers 89-1.
That brought the mercurial Harry Brook to the crease who continued in kind, striking consecutive sixes off Jordan Clark but fell shortly after with a tame dismissal, clubbing to mid-off for 23 off 11.
Marsh then brought up his 50 off 32 balls, his fourth of the tournament but was out straight after following a mistimed shot off Lockie Ferguson.
Ferguson finished with miserly figures of 1-22 in the context of the destructive batting around him.
Zak Crawley and Dan Lawrence had the task of closing out the last 30 balls of the innings which they performed exceptionally. Their partnership of 53 from 21 swung momentum back in Sunrisers’ favour before Lawrence added runs with Matthew Revis to reach a commanding total of 201.
The Fire failed to keep up with the required rate in the power play, losing Phil Salt for 13 off 14 as his tournament struggles continued.
Joe Root and Matt Short combined for a partnership of 49 but at a rate that only took them further away. With net run-rate connotations to consider, it was important for the Fire to complete their innings and get as close as possible, but as wickets continued to fall there seems little hope for the Fire to qualify for the Eliminator.
Brydon Carse was the pick of the bowlers for the Sunrisers taking three wickets with great control of his pace.
Anything other than a devastating loss to the Manchester Super Giants will guarantee qualification for the Sunrisers who seem to be improving as the tournament goes on.
Scores in brief:
Sunrisers Leeds Men beat Welsh Fire Men by 71 runs
Sunrisers Leeds Men 201-4 (Mitchell Marsh 50, Ryan Rickleton 40, Zak Crawley 34; Chris Woakes 2-41, Lockie Ferguson 1-22)
Welsh Fire Men 130-6 (Matt Short 43, Joe Root 31; Brydon Carse 3-24, Nathan Ellis 2-18)
Player of the match – Mitchell Marsh
