Short outdoes Stoinis, Graham delivers all-round show

Matt Short's unbeaten 60 has powered Welsh Fire to their fourth win of the season, toppling Marcus Stoinis' Southern Brave in the men's Hundred.

Stoinis was the star of the Brave's innings as they battered first, with the Australian international hammering 55 from 39 balls as wickets fell around him. 

Even the explosive David Miller couldn't get going on the Sophia Gardens pitch, and the South African was one of Short's two wickets claimed in the final set of five.

Miller was out for 21 from 17 balls - the Brave's second-highest score - and the total was a meagre 115.

In reply, Short dominated the chase. Having just come from the USA's MLC, where he closed out that tournament with scores of 94no and 121no, the Victorian opener put on a 56-run stand with Joe Root to set the base the Fire needed. 

The struck six fours and two sixes in his 41-ball innings which included some delightful scooped shots. 

In the women's clash between the sides, a trio of Australians had that opportunity to impress in front of Australia Sophie Molineux, the Brave's leader.

Ironically, it was Heather Graham, last capped nearly two years ago, who shone brightest.

Graham took 2-23 of her 20 balls, dismissing Brave's top scorers, South African Laura Wolvaardt (48 off 45) and India's Jeminah Rodrigues (25 off 21).

Chasing 123 to win in reply Fire were faltering before Graham led them to victory with an unbeaten 35 off 28 balls, striking the winning runs in a last-ball victory. 

It was revenge for Brave's eight-run win earlier in the competition when Graham's 4-19 proved in vain.

Asked about holding her nerve Graham said: "I'm 30 now and I've enough experience under my belt. I've played a lot of years and a lot of tight games and you rely on those experiences."

"Credit to Heather she played an incredible innings to get us over the line," said teammate Georgia Wareham, Fire's new captain in the absence of the injured Kiwi Sophie Devine.

Allrounder Wareham followed 0-23 off her 20 balls with 16 runs off 20 but starred most in the field. She took three catches and ran out Molineux with a direct hit from mid-off for 12 off 11 balls. 

Opener Georgia Voll had a more modest impact making 11 off nine. 

Molineux had opted to bat first after winning the toss in Cardiff but Brave were 1-1 after six balls with opener Lizelle Lee making her second duck in succession. Despite the efforts of Wolvaardt and Rodrigues 6-122 never looked enough.

Graham, who last month helped Durham reach the final of the Blast county competition, came in at 4-49 off 43 balls and anchored the chase keeping Fire just about on course.

The decisive ball was the penultimate one. With three needed off two Graham pushed to leg. Desperate to get back on strike she should have been run out as the throw came in over the stumps, but wicketkeeper Lee, who had already dropped Wareham on four and missed an easy stumping, completed her nightmare day by fumbling the throw, allowing Graham to complete her two.

Instead of a new batter coming to the crease needing one to tie Fire had the set batter and the scores level. With the field up Graham smacked the next ball through the covers to keep Brave's qualification hopes alive.

The Hundred 2026 women's standings

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Ties T	Drawn D	No results N/R	Net Run Rate NRR	Deductions Ded.	Batting Bonus Bat	Bowling Bonus Bowl	Total points PTS
1 Southern Brave Women SBW	6	5	1	0	0	0	0.399	0	0	0	20
2 Trent Rockets Women TRW	5	4	1	0	0	0	1.671	0	0	0	16
3 Manchester Super Giants Women MSW	5	3	1	0	0	1	1.043	0	0	0	14
4 Welsh Fire Women WFW	5	2	3	0	0	0	0.251	0	0	0	8
5 London Spirit Women LSW	4	1	2	1	0	0	-0.833	0	0	0	6
6 Birmingham Phoenix Women BPW	4	1	2	0	0	1	-2.184	0	0	0	6
7 Sunrisers Leeds Women SLW	4	1	3	0	0	0	0.284	0	0	0	4
8 MI London Women MLW	5	0	4	1	0	0	-1.54	0	0	0	2

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

T: Ties

D: Drawn

N/R: No results

NRR: Net Run Rate

Ded.: Deductions

Bat: Batting Bonus

Bowl: Bowling Bonus

PTS: Total points

The Hundred 2026 men's standings

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Ties T	Drawn D	No results N/R	Net Run Rate NRR	Deductions Ded.	Batting Bonus Bat	Bowling Bonus Bowl	Total points PTS
1 Trent Rockets Men TRM	5	4	1	0	0	0	0.76	0	0	0	16
2 Welsh Fire Men WFM	5	4	1	0	0	0	-0.081	0	0	0	16
3 MI London Men MLM	5	3	2	0	0	0	0.399	0	0	0	12
4 Southern Brave Men SBM	6	2	4	0	0	0	0.022	0	0	0	8
5 Manchester Super Giants Men MSM	0	0	0	0		0	0	0			0
6 Manchester Super Giants Men MSG	5	2	3	0	0	0	0.021	0	0	0	8
7 Sunrisers Leeds Men SLM	4	2	2	0	0	0	-0.036	0	0	0	8
8 London Spirit Men LSM	4	1	3	0	0	0	-0.055	0	0	0	4
9 Birmingham Phoenix Men BPM	4	1	3	0	0	0	-1.208	0	0	0	4

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

T: Ties

D: Drawn

N/R: No results

NRR: Net Run Rate

Ded.: Deductions

Bat: Batting Bonus

Bowl: Bowling Bonus

PTS: Total points

Australians in the Hundred

(* denotes bought in auction)

Birmingham Phoenix

Men: Mitch Owen £130,000 (A$244,000)

 

Women: Ellyse Perry £100,000 (A$187,436), Alana King* £37,500 (A$70,000), Lucy Hamilton withdrawn

London Spirit

Men: Adam Zampa £190,000 (A$357,000), Andrew Tye

 

Women: Grace Harris £70,000 (A$131,000)

Manchester Super Giants

Women: Meg Lanning £95,000 (A$178,000), Maitlan Brown* £40,000 (A$75,000)

MI London

Women: Nicola Carey* £95,000 (A$178,000)

Southern Brave

Men: Marcus Stoinis £150,000 (A$282,000), Nikhil Chaudhary* £31,000 (A$58,000)

 

Women: Sophie Molineux* £47,500 (A$89,000), Lizelle Lee £27,500 (A$53,000)

Sunrisers Leeds

Men: Mitch Marsh £200,000 (A$376,000), Nathan Ellis £145,000 (A$278,000)

 

Women: Annabel Sutherland £130,000 (A$244,000), Phoebe Litchfield £120,000 (A$225,000), Jess Jonassen* £110,000 (A$206,000)

Trent Rockets

Men: Tim David £350,000 (A$658,000)

 

Women: Beth Mooney* £210,000 ($A394,000), Ashleigh Gardner £100,000 (A$187,000), Kim Garth £42,000 (A$79,000), Sam Bates £15,000 (A$29,000)

Welsh Fire

Men: Matt Short* £75,000 (A$140,978)

 

Women: Georgia Wareham £100,000 (A$187,000), Georgia Voll £80,000 (A$150,000), Heather Graham* £27,500 (A$52,000)