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Bracewell and Openers Steer Southern Brave to Dominant Victory Over Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred 2025
Southern Brave continued their perfect start to The Hundred 2025, securing their second win in as many games with a commanding nine-wicket victory over Birmingham Phoenix at the Ageas Bowl. Michael Bracewell’s outstanding three-wicket burst dismantled the Phoenix middle order before openers James Vince and Leus du Plooy orchestrated a calm and composed chase.
Bowling Brilliance Restricts Phoenix to a Modest Total
Electing to bowl first after winning the toss, Southern Brave skipper James Vince immediately put pressure on the Phoenix batters. Ben Duckett managed to keep the scoreboard ticking early, but Chris Jordan drew first blood by having him caught behind in the 26th ball of the innings.
The real damage came in the middle overs when Michael Bracewell took control of proceedings. The New Zealand all-rounder bowled Jacob Bethell through the gate, dismissed Will Smeed in quick succession, and later outfoxed Dan Mousley to have him stumped. Bracewell’s figures of 3 for 10 from just 15 deliveries proved match-defining.
Archer and Jordan Add to the Trouble
Jofra Archer, after conceding a couple of early boundaries to Duckett, bounced back in style by removing dangerous hitters Liam Livingstone and Joe Clarke. Clarke’s 36 was the lone highlight in an otherwise struggling Phoenix batting lineup. With wickets tumbling regularly, Phoenix could muster only 106/7 from their allotted 100 balls.
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Openers Make Light Work of the Chase
In response, Southern Brave’s openers looked in supreme control. Vince combined elegant timing with smart strike rotation, compiling 41 off 30 balls, including four crisp boundaries. He shared a match-winning stand of 75 runs with Leus du Plooy, who anchored the innings with composure.
Phoenix’s bowlers toiled hard, but their early struggles meant defending such a low target was always going to be challenging. Vince eventually fell to Benny Howell, but du Plooy remained unbeaten on 48 off 38 balls, striking the winning boundary off Tim Southee with 19 balls to spare.
Key Takeaways from the Match
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Michael Bracewell’s economical and penetrative spell set the tone for Brave’s win.
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The Brave’s top order showed remarkable composure in chasing a modest target.
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Birmingham Phoenix’s back-to-back defeats put them under early pressure in the tournament standings.
Looking Ahead
With two wins in two games, Southern Brave have laid down an early marker in The Hundred 2025, looking like serious title contenders. For Birmingham Phoenix, however, the focus must shift to quickly finding batting stability if they wish to revive their campaign.
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