Southern Brave’s men’s team picked up their first win of the season in The Hundred with a 12-run win at home to Birmingham Phoenix at Utilita Bowl.

The Brave batted first and scored 128 for eight. After a cautious but solid start, the Phoenix reached 52 for one after 47 balls, before three quick wickets turned the contest on its head.

Will Smeed was caught at long-on trying to launch Luke Wood into the stands. Then Rehan Ahmed, immediately after scooping Chris Jordan for six, miscued a slog and Jofra Archer made good ground from long-on to take the catch.

Skipper Donovan Ferreira then came and went, clean bowled by Archer hoicking across the line to leave the Phoenix at 65 for four, still needing 64 from 39 balls.

A brief rebuild between Laurie Evans and Mitchell Owen was ended by Marcus Stoinis, who induced a nick from Evans, and when Adil Rashid accounted for Owen, bowled off the under-edge, the Phoenix had lost five wickets in 30 balls.

Stoinis was the difference-maker in both innings, bringing energy to the Brave’s stuttering innings, depositing Scott Currie for back-to-back sixes on his way to 34. With the ball, Stoinis bowled ten balls in a row for just three runs to stymie the Phoenix’s progress, building the pressure that brought the collapse.

With 15 balls to go the game was still alive, but a stunning final five from Archer, conceding just two runs, stretched the equation to 29 from the last ten. Sean Dickson hit Jordan for two sixes, but Wood held his nerve to seal the game, claiming two wickets, allied to a cool run out from Rashid, as the Brave got home by 12 runs.

Southern Brave’s women's team won by 24 runs against Birmingham Phoenix.

The Brave batted first and scored 140 for three. Lizelle Lee was explosive in the powerplay, scoring 43, while Maia Bouchier scored 45 and Jemimah Rodrigues added 28 not out.

Sophie Molineux picked up two wickets and applied the squeeze with fellow left-arm spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman as the Phoenix finished on 116 for five.