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London Spirit vs Welsh Fire Match 31 Full Commentary
Result · Aug 12 2026, Wed - 07:30 PM (IST)
Match 31, - Sophia Gardens
WEF 125/7 (20.0)
LNS 131/8 (20.0)
London Spirit beat Welsh Fire by 6 runs
CRR:6.25
प्लेयर ऑफ द मैच
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The outside chance - For the Spirit of course, if they manage to pick up a couple of wickets with the new ball. But an outside chance for the Fire as well, to get their net run rate above that of Sunrisers, if they manage to chase this down fairly quickly. The problem for both is - While the Spirit might have a bit of an underpar score on the board, the pitch is not a highway to chase it the way you want. So you would still need to do the hard work to get over the line. Out walk the Spirit, spreading onto the field. Following them, are the Welsh Fire openers - Matthew Short and Phil Salt. It will be the pace of David Willey to start things off. Salt to face. 132 needed from 100 balls.
... THE RUN CHASE ...
Tricky chase? You never know. In the Women's game, 138 was defended and defended convincingly. Have to say, the new ball is the key. If the Spirit can pick up 2 wickets or more in the Powerplay, they can stand a chance of winning this. Please stay tuned for the chase.
Total is gettable - That is the feeling of Welsh Fire's RACHIN RAVINDRA, as he gears up for a chat with the broadcasters. Ravindra says that the surface had a bit of hold and if you spun the ball hard into the wicket, you got some purchase. Adds that the wicket sort of bounces and jumps a bit, so one would look to hit more square of the wicket and feels that the total looks very gettable. Further, lauds the Cardiff crowd for the way it comes in numbers and cheers for its team.
Unable to take off - That's one way to sum up London Spirit's innings. Jonny Bairstow got the team off to a flier but once the Powerplay ended, batting simply became difficult. No one was able to find his groove and towards the end, Jamie Overton's cameo pushed them to a somewhat competitive score. The highest partnership recorded was 29 which was for the opening wicket.
A disciplined bowling performance - Pretty much similar to how the Women from the Fire bowled a few minutes back. Chris Woakes set the tone with the new ball while Marco Jansen and Lockie Ferguson really cranked it up. Barring an odd set here and there, the home side never allowed the visitors to accelerate or get on top. Like the Women, only 5 bowlers were used and everyone got themselves in the wickets' column, with three bowlers taking 2 apiece.
Probably under par - Just 11 runs conceded in the last 10 balls and the Fire finish their bowling innings well. The score is slightly lesser than what the Welsh Fire Women managed earlier in the day, and the gut feeling suggests that this might not be enough. The Spirit were threatening to go past 140 through Jamie Overton's cameo but Jansen and Woakes were excellent in the final two sets.
Very full, on middle, Crane swings this towards long on. The batters go for the second and Marco Jansen charges towards the ball from long on, but returns a very slow throw to the bowler, allowing the struggling Crane to make his ground. LONDON SPIRIT FINISH ON 131/8!
Full and at the srumps, Mason Crane backs away and steers this towards deep third for a run.
Another short ball, outside off. Adam Milne goes for the pull but is done in by the lack of pace. Gets a massive top edge high in the air and luckily for him, the ball lands in front of deep square leg. A single taken.
A low full toss, wide outside off. Mason Crane slashes it away to deep point for one.
Mason Crane walks in next, at number 10, replacing Overton.
OUT! CAUGHT! Hit towards the shorter straight boundary again, but again, the connection just isn't there. Length ball from Chris Woakes, there to be hit. Jamie Overton hangs back and looks to clobber it over long on, but gets it off the inner half of the blade. The ball goes down to long on, and this time Marco Jansen takes a fairly straightforward catch. London Spirit are 126/8 with 4 balls to go.
Chris Woakes will wrap things up. 1/13 in 15 balls so far.
On middle and off, Adam Milne gets across and whips it behind square leg for a single to get off the mark. 2/16 in 20 balls for Marco Jansen.
Adam Milne walks in next, at number 9, replacing Willey.
OUT! You miss, I hit. Jansen comes around the wicket and David Willey goes across his stumps well in advance. It is an open invitation to hit the stumps and Jansen smartly takes the pace off the ball. Willey swings but misses and the ball hits the stumps. LONDON SPIRIT ARE 125/7 AFTER 94 BALLS!
Another lovely delivery. In the blockhole, around middle, Jamie Overton backs away and digs it out towards long on for a single.
Much better from Jansen. He goes for the yorker and lands it perfectly and just outside the off stump. Overton digs it back out to the bowler.
FOUR! Just helped on its way. Slower bumper from Jansen, but it is down leg. Jamie Overton reads it well and half-pulls it over short fine leg for a boundary. He's raced to 20 off 8 balls now.
Woakes and Jansen remain to finish the 2 pending sets. It will be Marco Jansen to bowl out first. 1/10 in 15 balls so far.
Dropped short, around middle, Jamie pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single. 11 runs from the set, Lockie Ferguson ends with bowling figures of 2/31 in 20 balls.
Full and fast outside off, Overton stays leg side of the ball and slashes his bat but misses.
SIX! Breath of fresh air. This is a very bright start from Jamie Overton - 15 runs in 5 balls. Full, outside off, Overton gets across, uses the pace and laps it over fine leg. The ball goes all the way!
Banged in short and very quick, sails past the helmet of Jamie Overton.
EDGED AND FOUR! Oh, the keeper is wrong-footed here. Back of a length, angled into the batter at a brisk pace. Jamie Overton tries to back away and play it late but gets an outside edge to the right of the keeper. Phil Salt had already started moving to the other side and the ball races to the deep third fence.
Lockie Ferguson will bowl out now. 0/20 in 15 balls so far.
FOUR! ADMONISHED! Dropped short, on middle, Jamie Overton gives himself room to the leg side and heaves it over the bowler, for a boundary down the ground, beating long on and long off to perfection. A wicket and 6 runs from the set, Rachin Ravindra ends with bowling figures of 1/30 in 20 balls.
Landed around middle and leg, a tad short, David Willey works it towards deep mid-wicket for a run.
On middle and off, worked to the leg side for a single.
For all the marbles - Righto, one last game left in the league stage of the 2026 edition of The Hundred, and the stakes couldn't be higher. Birmingham Phoenix welcome MI London to Edgbaston. The Phoenix might be out of the race but MI are still in it. As per the official statisticians, if MI win the game by about 60 runs or more, they will topple Sunrisers Leeds and grab the third spot in the table. It is a tough task, but it should be exciting to see them have a go at it. You can switch tabs and catch our build-up to that game right away. Cheers!
Cardiff's stern test - Throughout the day, it wasn't easy for the batters to get going. We saw a bit more impetus from the batters in the first game, but the Men's game was dominated by the bowlers. After being asked to bat first, London Spirit never got going. However, crucial knocks from Jonny Bairstow and James Coles, coupled with a late cameo from Jamie Overton, got them over the 130-run mark. With the ball, three pacers picked up 2 wickets each for The Fire and the likes of Chris Woakes and Marco Jansen remained highly economical as well.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH - The award goes to London Spirit's DAVID WILLEY for his excellent bowling figures of 3/20 in 20 balls. On the thought process while bowling the last few deliveries, Willey says that the discussions were about using the pitch, bowling the hard balls and taking pace off. Feels gutted with Chris Woakes hitting him for a six but stresses that you take the pain for the greater gain of the plan. On the last ball, David says that he just stuck to the plan and bowled it into the pitch. Adds that the strong breeze helped the ball stay in and credits Overton for a nice catch across the line. On his thoughts on Spirit's season, DW says that being such a short competition, every game is important. Explains that if they sit down and reflect on their first couple of games, they were around 5 percent off, which makes a big difference in such tournaments. Ends by saying that it was not a great year for them when you look at the table but believes that had they got a couple of wins early on, things might have been different.
Laying the foundation for the future - It has been a fairly tough season for London Spirit overall, but they have shown great heart to win this game from a very difficult position. After a low score on the board, the Spirit bowled really well in the Powerplay, not letting the game get away from them. Things looked bleak when Joe Root and Jordan Cox were going great guns, but the likes of Adam Milne and David Willey showed their class at the death, picking up wickets in a heap and choking the opposition.
Cox nearly made the difference - Not a big score to chase down, yet it was hard work for Welsh Fire to get over the line. Phil Salt and Joe Root got starts but never really managed to kick on. With the game teetering along, Jordan Cox came in and found the fence with regularity. It got very nervy and close at the end and he too got out, leaving the Fire wounded. Chris Woakes did hit a six and Marco Jansen nearly tied the game on the final ball, but it wasn't meant to be.
Mad end to the game - Welsh Fire have thrown it all away in the last 10 balls, and London Spirit get over the line after being second best for about 90 percent of the game. A bittersweet feeling for the Cardiff crowd, which earlier saw the Women triumph over the visitors, but the Men have now lost the game from what looked like a done-and-dusted winning position.
OUT! CAUGHT AT THE ROPES! Elation for the Spirit. Despair for the hosts. They have just taken a rifle from somehere and fired bullets on their own feet. They have simply snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. A short ball, outside off, Marco Jansen latches onto the pull and launches this high over mid-wicket. The connection looks solid and everyone feels it is a big hit. But when the ball comes down, we see Jamie Overton stationed under it, taking a super cool catch just near the ropes! The replay show the heavy breeze dragging the ball into the field of play. Jansen is distraught and takes a while to compose before finally shaking hands. A terrific game ends as WELSH FIRE END UP FALLING SHORT BY 6 RUNS!
Remember, there is no Super Over in the league stage. A six will only end this game in a tie.
Just a single. A touch short, outside off, pace off, Woakes cuts it to deep point for just a single.
SIX! HOCUS POCUS! Magician Woakes strikes! 8 needed from 2 balls now. On a length, outside off, Chris Woakes backs away slightly and with a lovely extension of his arms, lofts it cleanly over extra cover for a biggie!
Chris Woakes, the Wizard, walks out, at number 8, replacing Ravindra. The Welsh need his wizadry desperately.
OUT! BAT GONE, BATTER GONE TOO! A quick short ball, outside off, Rachin Ravindra goes for the pull but his bottom hand comes off the bat and the willow slips out of his hand too, to the leg side. But the ball goes straight up in the air and the bowler himself gets across to his left and takes the catch. Ravindra comes and goes and from 117/3, WELSH FIRE ARE 118/6! 14 needed from 3 balls now.
A short ball, pulled down to long on for a single.
Wow. Looks like we jinxed the hosts. Forget the last set, Milne conceded just a run! David Willey will finish things off. 1/12 in 15 balls so far.
On a good length, outside off, Jansen has a waft and misses! Two wickets and just a run from the set, Adam Milne finishes with bowling figures of 2/23 in 20 balls!
A good short ball outside off, Marco Jansen sways away from the line.
Marco Jansen walks out for the hattrick ball, at number 7, replacing Kohler-Cadmore.
OUT! GOLDEN DUCK! Bizarre shot. First ball, Tom Kohler-Cadmore just comes down the track and has a waltz at a short ball. Gets a top edge which goes straight up the chimney and is caught by Liam Livingstone at cover. Milne is on a hattrick!
Tom Kohler-Cadmore walks in next, at number 6, replacing Cox.
OUT! COX HOLES OUT! The game swings again. Good persistence from Milne, with the short ball, outside off. Jordan Cox goes for the pull but gets it off the higher part of the bat. He gets height but not the distance and Jamie Overton takes it calmly at deep mid-wicket. Cox departs after a decent knock but has he put his side in trouble? WELSH FIRE ARE 117/4! Require 15 runs from 8 balls!
Just a single. A short ball, outside off, Rachin Ravindra pulls it to wide long on. The batters take the single and the fielder returns the throw to the keeper. Now, Cox is in the way of th throw and Jonny Bairstow just brushes him away to collect the throw with a dive!
Final set of the match? 16 runs needed. 10 balls remaining. Adam Milne to bowl out. 0/22 in 15 balls so far.
Another fast short ball, outside off, Jordan Cox goes for the pull but misses. Throws the bat up in the air in frustration. Just a run from the set and Jamie Overton finishes with bowling figures of 0/21 in 20 balls.
A touch short, outside off, RR goes for the pull but his bottom hand comes off the bat. The ball flies towards deep mid-wicket and Cox wants the second but Ravindra sends him back.
Another dot ball. Full and at the stumps, Rachin backs away and steers it away, but finds point.
Through him. More evidence of the heat generated by Overton. On a good length around off, angling away, searing pace, Ravindra looks to steer it towards deep third but is beaten by pace.
Full and straight, Rachin Ravindra pushes it back to the bowler.
Jamie Overton to bowl out. 0/20 in 15 balls so far.
Just a fraction short. Outside off, Cox works it through mid-wicket for a run. 10 from the set.
Steady head this time and the connection is sweet. On a length, outside off, this time Jordan Cox stands tall and punches it through the covers for a couple to sweeper. 18 more needed from 16 balls.