Welsh Fire edged past Southern Brave by a single run in The Hundred on Monday evening, 116 to 115. A tight finish at the end of eight games each for both sides, and the home team moved up one place in the table as a result.
Both teams had been trading narrow victories in their recent fixtures. Welsh Fire had dropped a game to Birmingham Phoenix by one run just two days earlier, while Southern Brave had edged London Spirit by six runs on the same date. The pattern continued here — a game decided by the smallest margin.
By then, Welsh Fire sat fifth on 16 points from four wins, while Southern Brave remained sixth on 12 points after three victories. The gap between them had shrunk to four points, and with games still to come, neither side could afford to look too far ahead.
Their recent head-to-head record showed how competitive these meetings had become. Welsh Fire had lost to Southern Brave by three runs in July, but had also beaten them by one run in the same month. This time, the home side held their nerve when it mattered.
For Southern Brave, the loss extended their poor run — five defeats from eight matches. They had shown flashes of promise, including a 128-116 win over Birmingham, but consistency remained elusive. One run short again, and the disappointment would linger.