Harry Brook’s quickest Hundred century in useless as Welsh Fire maintain hopes burning
Welsh Fire 159 for two (Eskinazi 58, Bairstow 44, Clarke 42*) beat Northern Superchargers 158 for 7 (Brook 105*) by eight wickets
Harry Brook smashed the quickest Hundred century but it surely proved in useless as Welsh Fire stored alive their hopes of constructing Saturday’s eliminator with an eight-wicket win over Northern Superchargers at Headingley.
Brook reached his ton off 41 balls whereas crashing a scintillating 105 not out off 42 however discovered little assist because the Superchargers posted 158 for 7. Stephen Eskinazi’s fifty set Fire on their manner, earlier than Jonny Bairstow hit 44 and Joe Clarke 42 to elevate the guests to victory.
Fire will attain the eliminator if Manchester Originals beat Southern Brave on Wednesday.
Brook performed a outstanding lone hand to steer a Superchargers restoration. Matthew Short, Tom Banton and Adam Lyth all departed inside the primary 20 balls to depart the Superchargers reeling at 10 for 3, having gained the toss.
Brook started patiently alongside Adam Hose, however exploded into life after Hose fell to Matt Henry after 33 balls.
He produced an audacious ramp over third for six from a searing Lockie Ferguson bouncer and hit Roelef van der Merwe down the bottom for one more thumping most.
Brook was operating out of companions as Adil Rashid fell to the left-arm spinner and David Wiese was run out by Tom Abell to depart the whole at 92 for 7.
But Brook marched on undeterred, reaching 50 from 24 balls, and hit the accelerator by smashing 19 from Luke Wells’ five-ball set.
The right-hander mixed outrageous energy with pure timing, hammering Ferguson down the bottom for a six which landed on the Sky Sports commentary pod.
With 10 balls of the innings remaining Brook was on 76 however he surged to his century with two extra sixes and 4 fours as 30 got here from these remaining 10 deliveries, turning into the third man to hit a Hundred century.
Momentum was with the hosts however Eskinazi quickly set about altering that. The right-hander hit two sixes from Reece Topley’s second set, earlier than being given a life as Topley and Matthew Potts left a excessive catch to one another.
Eskinazi made essentially the most of his reprieve, crashing his technique to 50 from simply 19 balls, together with three sixes, with Fire effectively positioned on 66 with out loss after 40 balls.
The introduction of Rashid utilized the brakes – particularly to Bairstow who had simply eight from his first 18 balls.
Rashid then made the important thing breakthrough, bowling Eskinazi for 58 from the 51st ball, with Fire needing 82 extra to win.
Bairstow started to search out his fluency as he and new batter Clarke each launched sixes off Wiese, earlier than Callum Parkinson’s 10-ball set ended badly with a six off Bairstow adopted by a no-ball which value 4 runs.
Fire have been cruising to the win, needing 19 from 20 balls, however Brook emerged once more with a surprising boundary catch to take away Bairstow for 44 – looping the ball up first to himself after which to Hose to keep away from carrying it over the rope.
But Clarke took his aspect house, hitting 42 from 22 to maintain Fire’s hopes burning.