Steve Smith steered Welsh Fire to a comfortable eight-wicket victory over Birmingham Phoenix at Edgbaston.
Set 139 for victory, the Fire, who started the evening bottom of the table, reached their target with 11 balls to spare.
Stevie Eskinazi broke the back of the chase with a 29-ball 42 before Smith (47 not out, from 36) completed a comprehensive win.
The Australian legend has struggled for form in his first season of The Hundred, making a top score of 29 in his first five knocks, but he played sensibly while Eskinazi and Jonny Bairstow (35 from 21) provided the pyrotechnics at the other end.
Bairstow dispatched Adam Milne into the Hollies Stand with an almighty six, only to be bowled by the Kiwi’s next delivery, but skipper Tom Abell took his side over the line with plenty to spare.
The Phoenix’s innings was a disjointed affair, with several batters making starts but none taking charge of the game.
Tom Abell steered his side to victory
Jacob Bethell hit three sixes in his stylish knock of 38 from 28 but the Fire’s finger spinners never let the Phoenix cut loose, Chris Green taking 3-27 including the scalp of Bethell.
Ben Kellaway bowled superbly to return figures of 2-10 from 15 deliveries, also taking a catch and effecting a run-out on a memorable debut in The Hundred for the Glamorgan youngster.
The hosts’ final total was 138-9 and Fire went on to claim their second win of the campaign and move up to seventh in the table, eight points behind third with two matches still to play. The Phoenix remain in fifth, ahead of the Fire on net run rate.
Kellaway’s debut to remember
Ben Kellaway said: “I’m absolutely delighted. Making my debut in the first place was special enough, so to contribute for the team and get a win was really nice.
“It’s been a really enjoyable first few weeks. It’s all new experiences for me but the lads have been amazing, we’ve had a great time. Results haven’t quite gone our way early on but the way we’ve been as a group and the enjoyment we’ve had, it’s been good stuff.
“We want to keep playing hard cricket, keep doing the basics well and hopefully we can win the last two games and we’ll see what happens.”
How do matches work?
One hundred balls a side, the team with the most runs wins. It is as simple as that.Five bowlers can bowl up to 20 balls in an innings, including five or 10 in a row.The traditional six-ball overs seen in other forms of cricket are not used in The Hundred, with 10 balls bowled before a change of ends.The powerplay is for the first 25 balls of an innings, with only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle.A 25-ball-a-side game is the minimum length that can be played in the event of wet weather.
What’s next?
London Spirit play on Saturday against Southern Brave at Lord’s while Northern Superchargers play on the same day against Oval Invincibles at Headingley.
Manchester Originals are back in action on Sunday against Birmingham Phoenix when Welsh Fire also take on Trent Rockets.
On Monday Oval Invincibles will meet London Spirit at the Kia Oval.
Watch every match across the women’s and men’s competitions live on Sky Sports until August 31.
