Sunrisers Leeds registered their first win of the 2026 Men's Hundred on Saturday, July 25, narrowly defeating Southern Brave by five runs in Leeds. The match was defined by momentum swings, including a mid-innings collapse for Leeds and a late-game surge by Tristan Stubbs that kept the result in doubt until the final delivery.
Batting first, Leeds established a strong platform through Mitchell Marsh and Ryan Rickelton. Marsh, who contributed 69 runs, regularly cleared the leg-side boundary and took advantage of Luke Wood, who conceded 40 runs from his 15 deliveries. By the 55th ball, the hosts were cruising at 111/0. However, the innings faced a sudden crisis when Adil Rashid took three wickets in five balls, dismissing both openers and Zak Crawley in rapid succession. Dan Lawrence stepped in to stabilize the situation, hitting a crucial 51 to help guide his team to a total of 187/5. Chris Jordan was particularly impactful at the death, holding things back with his usual change-ups, even as Jofra Archer leaked runs.
In response, Southern Brave’s chase was spearheaded by Ben McKinney, who played an aggressive knock of 44. After his departure and the subsequent dismissal of Jamie Smith by Matthew Revis, the Brave faced a challenging equation. Needing 100 off 50 with two new batters at the crease, they needed a hard push. Marcus Stoinis provided temporary momentum with a flurry of boundaries, but Abrar Ahmed halted the progress by claiming the wickets of David Miller and Stoinis. With the required rate climbing, Tristan Stubbs ignited a late-game scare, smashing two sixes and three fours across eight balls. Despite his efforts, disciplined spells from Nathan Ellis and Brydon Carse kept the pressure on. Suddenly, even with five wickets in hand, they needed 21 in 5. Stubbs managed one final six, but Potts held his nerve to secure the five-run win for Leeds. The final scores saw Sunrisers Leeds finish at 187/5, while Southern Brave ended on 182/5.
He then welcomed fellow Australian Dan Worrall with a sweet hit over cow-corner, proceeding to regularly clear different sections of the leg-side boundary over the course of his 69.
Placed at 111/0 after the 55th ball, the opening pair had laid the platform for a big total.
