Jonny Bairstow signs off with another inspired showing with the bat before leading the hosts to a second win in as many games at Sophia Gardens
Welsh Fire produced some death bowling heroics as Southern Brave were denied their opening win of the men's Hundred.
Jonny Bairstow struck 72 from 39 balls in his final appearance before joining up with England as the home side set 166 to win.
Brave looked well set but three wickets for Jimmy Neesham and some fine bowling from Jake Ball completed an 18-run success to give Fire a perfect start to the competition.
Brave win the toss and James Vince opts to bowl first, knowing that statistically favours sides batting second.
Ball 2: No need to hang around. Tom Banton waits one ball before getting into Danny Briggs, who is thrown the new ball with the River Taff behind him. The balls smashes into the sightscreen.
Ball 3: Same again! Banton launches into another one, doesn't get all of it, and the ball sails for another maximum. This looks like an early oversight from Brave.
Ball 24: A full one from Mills as he slightly misses the blockhole and Banton hammers the ball through cover. He's having a lovely time.
Ball 25: Don't bowl there. That's three boundaries in the five. This is clipped off the hip for four. Average from Mills it must be said.
Ball 31: Banton goes. Jake Lintott gets the dangerous opener as the England man comes down, misses and is bowled. The wildcard gets the breakthrough with his first ball of the tournament.
Ball 35: Naughty from Ben Duckett. He gets on the reverse sweep and makes great contact and finds the rope.
π£ "That would have been one of the catches of the summer!"
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 27, 2021
π£ "Jonny Bairstow must have had his heart in his mouth"
SO close for Southern Brave π¨
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Ball 38: Stop it. An up and down 10 from Lintott continues as Duckett gets the reverse out again. He hits this one with a bit more flight behind third.
Ball 41: Nearly a stunning catch from Ross Whiteley. Bairstow gets hold of Craig Overton and Whiteley gets round, pulls over a fine diving forward but can't hold on.
Ball 45: Ben Duckett has brought out the full bag of tricks tonight. He waits for Overton to go too full and just helps the ball over the rope for six.
Ball 74: That's four fours in a row for Duckett. This has gone very fine this time. Lintott has been taken apart since coming back.
Ball 76: That's gone a fairly long way. Bairstow has been steady thus far but he's found his range here, mowing the ball over long-on.
Ball 77: This was effortless as Bairstow finds the stands again, careering the ball over midwicket.
π£ ππ'π ππππ πππ πππ, π½πΌπ½π
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 27, 2021
Great hit by Jonny Bairstow π
Welsh Fire have 102 runs from 71 balls π
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π± Scorecard π https://t.co/vtwnvJtuXP pic.twitter.com/yJ8CiA58Ap
Ball 93: Briggs is seeing more punishment and you don't bowl here at any level of the game. A low full toss is pummelled high into the fans. Five sixes for the England batter.
Fire just lost their way at the end by have still set 166 to win. Can Brave get them?
Ball 6: Quinton de Kock into his stride straight away as Matt Critchley is crashed over mid-off for six.
Ball 10: This looks like a bizarre way to start the innings. Glenn Phillips followed by Critchley when the new ball has done a bit. De Kock takes full advantage and that is 16 from the second five.
Ball 11: Scrap that, even David Payne is getting slapped around. James Vince finds the first row with a hard pull through backward square.
Ball 14: This has been a superb start to the chase. De Kock is 21 from six following his third maximum. Payne hasn't found any swing.
Jonny Bairstow signed off in the grand manner
Ball 52: A potentially big moment as the guy who never gets out walks. Jake Ball produced a slower ball and Devon Conway plays all around it and is bowled.
Ball 57: Welsh Fire are back in the ascendency now as Vince is dismissed by a Josh Cobb catch on the boundary.
Ball 71: Dropped! This would have been a cracker at third. Ball throws himself to his left, gets a hand on it as Whiteley survives. Turning point?
Ball 78: Davies has been going along nicely but Payne finally has the breakthrough. He goes after a ball that is just wide enough and he edges behind to Bairstow.
Ball 79: This is developing into a real ebb and flow contest. Now Welsh Fire look all at sea, as Duckett misses the ball in the outfield. Jordan finds a much-needed boundary.
Decent start for Southern Brave, who have 54 runs from their first 25 balls π
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 27, 2021
They need 112 from their last 75 to beat the Welsh Fire...
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π± Scorecard π https://t.co/vtwnvJtuXP pic.twitter.com/VVf3ixXFoZ
Ball 87: Huge! Jordan can't get hold of this one from Neesham and Cobb takes the catch. Have Fire reclaimed the ascendency?
Ball 89: And now dragged on. Brave have collapsed and this chase looks gone now. Whiteley takes an almighty heave at a slow ball and the zings bails are alight.
"It was a game-changing spell [by Neesham] that we needed him to do," said player of the match Bairstow. "That's exactly why he's over here and in our side, is to change the game. Last game he got 30 off 10 balls. This game he's got wickets and didn't concede many.
"We took a couple of risks with spin in the Powerplay and got our rewards slightly later on. There are two ways of looking at the rain. I thought the way our boys bowled with a lack of pace suited the pitch better. It's been amazing playing at Cardiff. It was a great crowd tonight and thanks to everyone for coming out."
Welsh Fire 165 off 100 balls
Southern Brave 147 off 100 balls
Welsh Fire win!
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