By Gareth James
Jonny Bairstow praised Welsh Fire for keeping cool heads as the men’s team followed the women with a huge victory in Cardiff on Sunday night.
The England Test star top scored for Fire with 41 as they beat London Spirit by six wickets at Sophia Gardens to keep alive their hopes of a place in finals day.
Earlier, Fire’s seamers had set them on the path to a victory which keeps their top three hopes very much in reach.
“It was pretty clear that it was quite a tough wicket to play big shots on so it was about being a bit more calculated and any width had to travel but if it was straight, it was about trying to keep it out,” said Bairstow.
“We’ve spoken about tempos and going up and down, and you just have to adapt as and when.”
Welsh Fire stay alive in #TheHundred Men's Competition! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/kbpfB6hOGp
— The Hundred (@thehundred) August 20, 2023
Fire captain Tom Abell said: “I’m very happy. We came into tonight desperate for a win with finals not far away – it still feels like we are in the hunt. I’m chuffed for the boys.
“We had to adapt to the wicket and it helps when you have a world-class bowling line-up. We knew any chase would be tricky but it was a case of trying to take wickets but building pressure throughout the middle.
“I thought the lads stuck to their plans brilliantly and it was backed up by some good fielding.”
This the first time that Welsh Fire have completed a men's & women's double header victory at Sophia Gardens.#TheHundred
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) August 20, 2023
Captain Abell and Glenn Phillips finished the match with a partnership of 41 off 24 balls, after the platform had been set by the seam bowlers who took 8-65 between them.
New Zealand pair Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson impressed in their first game while David Willey and David Payne also took advantage of a seam-friendly wicket, all taking two wickets each.
London Spirit had Ravi Bopara to thank for getting them to three figures after an early batting collapse, while Dan Worrall took three early wickets to give them hope in the field.
2⃣/2⃣ wins to finish the home campaign ✅
Glenn Phillips smashes a huge 6⃣ as the Men follow the Women with a 6⃣-wicket win over London Spirit 🏴#WelshFire | #CricketInCardiff pic.twitter.com/ofPD7672zh
— Glamorgan Cricket 🏏 (@GlamCricket) August 20, 2023
The result sees the two teams swap places in the table between fifth and sixth, while Welsh Fire are level on points with third place, but behind on net run rate.
Needing 22 from 15 balls, Fire avoided an even more tense finale by taking 15 from the next five balls with Abell hitting Daryl Mitchell, who was surprisingly brought into the attack for the first time in the match so late on, back over his head for four and then six.
Phillips – who earlier took a fantastic catch in the deep – sealed the win in style with a huge six back down the ground.
A win for the #WelshFire men v #LondonSpirit men
Keeps their hopes of qualification to the Eliminator alive @thehundred @gtfm_radio @GTFMSPORT pic.twitter.com/4Ns9yRCvYq
— Ioan Dyer (@Ioan_Dyer) August 20, 2023