Southern Brave finally broke their winless streak in the 2026 Men's Hundred, securing a 12-run victory over Birmingham Phoenix in a low-scoring encounter at The Rose Bowl in Southampton. Despite playing on a sluggish pitch, the hosts managed to post 128 for 8, aided by contributions from Marcus Stoinis, David Miller, and Tom Abell. Ben McKinney provided early intent with a nine-ball 18, including three boundaries, before falling to Mitchell Owen. Tom Abell added 22 off 19 deliveries, while Stoinis anchored the middle phase with a brisk 34 off 26 balls, featuring successive sixes off Scott Currie. Miller chipped in with 24, and a late six from Luke Wood off the penultimate ball helped Brave reach their total. Rehan Ahmed was the standout bowler for Phoenix with 3 for 25, supported by Ben Dwarshuis who took 2 for 18.
In the chase, Birmingham Phoenix struggled to build momentum after an initial opening partnership. The innings lost direction following the dismissal of Will Smeed, which sparked a collapse. Phoenix slipped from 52 for 1 to 65 for 4 as Rehan Ahmed and Donovan Ferreira fell in quick succession. While Laurie Evans and Mitchell Owen attempted to stabilize the innings, the Brave bowling attack remained disciplined. Stoinis proved decisive with the ball, conceding only 16 runs from 20 deliveries and claiming the wicket of Evans. Adil Rashid also contributed by removing Owen and executing a sharp run-out.
As the required run rate climbed, Sean Dickson attempted to keep Phoenix in the hunt with a few aggressive shots, but an economical spell from Jofra Archer ensured the target remained out of reach. Luke Wood sealed the victory by taking two wickets in the final stages, finishing with figures of 3 for 24. This win marked the first success for Southern Brave in four attempts during the tournament.
Brief scores: Southern Brave 129/8 in 100 balls (Marcus Stoinis 34 off 26, David Miller 24 off 21; Rehan Ahmed 3-25, Ben Dwarshuis 2-18) beat Birmingham Phoenix 116/9 in 100 balls (Will Smeed 35 off 28, Sean Dickson 20* off 13; Luke Wood 3-24, Marcus Stoinis 2-16) by 12 runs.
