Welsh Fire began their 2026 Hundred campaign with a commanding six-wicket victory over Southern Brave at the Utilita Bowl in Southampton on Wednesday. The win was spearheaded by captain Phil Salt, whose unbeaten 47 runs guided his new team to a successful chase of 136 with two balls to spare.
Salt, who signed for Fire as captain before this season, demonstrated why he is The Hundred's all-time leading scorer, having amassed 1,138 runs in previous seasons with Manchester Originals. His leadership and calm batting were crucial in steering the Welsh franchise, which finished bottom of both men's and women's tables last season, towards their first win of the competition.
Chasing 136, Salt initially played a supporting role as opening partner Matt Short contributed a quickfire 20. He then forged important partnerships with Joe Root (14) and Rachin Ravindra (24) to keep the scoreboard ticking over. With nine runs needed from the final five deliveries, Asa Tribe struck a boundary off Brave captain Chris Jordan, before Salt sealed the victory emphatically with a six two balls later.
Earlier in the day, Southern Brave struggled to build momentum after losing openers Jamie Smith and Ben McKinney cheaply. However, 18-year-old Thomas Rew provided a much-needed boost with a flashy 41 from 30 balls. David Miller, after a slow start, accelerated to finish with 44 runs from 35 balls before being dismissed on the penultimate delivery, helping Brave reach a total of 135-7.
The Welsh Fire bowlers delivered a disciplined performance, consistently keeping the Brave's scoring rate in check. Marco Jansen was particularly effective, finishing with impressive figures of 2-17, playing a key role in restricting the home side to a total that ultimately proved insufficient.