Southern Brave host Welsh Fire in Match 2 of The Hundred Men’s 2026, a fixture the hosts have dominated in recent seasons, winning 6 of the 8 completed meetings between these two sides since 2021.
Southern Brave enter under new captain Chris Jordan, who takes over from James Vince after being a fixture of the franchise since its title-winning debut season in 2021. Welsh Fire, meanwhile, are led by Phil Salt and will look to a reinforced top order featuring Joe Root and Jordan Cox to finally get the better of their local rivals.
This preview covers both squads, conditions at the Utilita Bowl, and our prediction for Match 2.
Southern Brave vs Welsh Fire – Details
This is the first men’s meeting between these two franchises since Chris Jordan’s appointment as Southern Brave captain, with Welsh Fire looking to end a run of six defeats in seven meetings.
| Match | 2nd Match, Southern Brave vs Welsh Fire |
| Tournament | The Hundred Men’s Competition 2026 (6th edition) |
| Date | Wednesday, 22 July 2026 |
| Venue | Utilita Bowl (The Rose Bowl), Southampton |
| Time (India) | 11:00 PM IST (6:30 PM local) |
Winning Odds for SB vs WF
| Platform | SBÂ Win Odds | WFÂ Win Odds |
|---|---|---|
| 1xBet | 1.84 | 2.26 |
| 4rabet | 1.89 | 2.30 |
| BetVibe | 1.81 | 2.24 |
| Stake | 1.95 | 2.34 |
Southern Brave & Welsh Fire Squads for The Hundred 2026
Southern Brave retained pace spearhead Jofra Archer for a franchise-high £400,000 and added Jamie Smith, Marcus Stoinis and Tristan Stubbs via direct signings, giving new captain Chris Jordan a squad built on continuity after his predecessor James Vince’s departure from the leadership role.
Welsh Fire go into the season with England’s Joe Root and red-hot wicketkeeper-batter Jordan Cox reinforcing their top order under captain Phil Salt, while Marco Jansen, Rachin Ravindra and Lockie Ferguson add overseas pace and spin options.
Southern Brave
Chris Jordan (c), Jofra Archer, Jamie Smith (wk), Marcus Stoinis, Tristan Stubbs, Adil Rashid, David Miller, Luke Wood, Ben McKinney, Thomas Rew (wk), Michael Pepper (wk), Tom Abell, Dan Worrall, Caleb Falconer, Nikhil Chaudhary, Manny Lumsden, Saif Zaib.
Welsh Fire
Phil Salt (c, wk), Jordan Cox (wk), Marco Jansen, Joe Root, Rachin Ravindra, Chris Woakes, Tom Kohler-Cadmore (wk), Lockie Ferguson, Matthew Short, Asa Tribe, Sam Cook, Ben Kellaway, Jafer Chohan, Tom Aspinwall, Jordan Clark, Dillon Pennington.
Southern Brave vs Welsh Fire – Pitch & Weather Report
The Utilita Bowl has generally rewarded the side batting first, setting up a contest where both top orders will look to post big and defend under lights.
Pitch Report
| Pitch Behaviour | The Rose Bowl has traditionally rewarded batting first, with good bounce and carry early before the surface slows for spin later in the innings. |
| Batting Conditions | First-innings scores of 160-170 have historically been competitive here, with anything above 190 becoming very hard to chase down. |
| Bowling Assistance | Seamers get early assistance off a fresh pitch, while spinners come into their own as the surface loses pace through the second half of the innings. |
| Toss & Dew Factor | As an evening fixture, dew could be a factor by the back end of the match, though the venue’s broader trend still favours setting a target over chasing one. |
Weather Report
Here’s a look at the weather conditions expected for the match.
| Temperature | Around 25°C at the start of play, cooling into the high teens Celsius as the evening progresses. |
| Weather | Clear, settled conditions are expected, continuing the dry spell Southampton has had through the week. |
| Precipitation | Only a 10% chance of rain, so the match looks set to run without interruption. |
| Humidity & Wind | Moderate humidity with a light coastal breeze — conditions unlikely to bring significant swing beyond the new ball. |
Southern Brave vs Welsh Fire – Head-to-Head in Hundred History
Southern Brave have dominated this rivalry since The Hundred began in 2021, winning six of their eight meetings against Welsh Fire. Welsh Fire have managed just one victory, while one match ended without a result, underlining Southern Brave’s superiority in this fixture over the years.
| Matches | Southern Brave Won | Welsh Fire Won | No Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
The two teams last met during the 2025 season, with Southern Brave continuing their strong record. Welsh Fire will be hoping their revamped squad, featuring experienced players such as Joe Root and Jordan Cox, can improve their head-to-head record and claim only their second win over Southern Brave.
Players to Watch for Southern Brave vs Welsh Fire
| Chris Jordan (SB) | Leads Southern Brave for the first time after being a fixture of the franchise since its inaugural title-winning season in 2021. |
| Jofra Archer (SB) | Retained for a franchise-record £400,000 and remains Southern Brave’s spearhead with the new ball. |
| Jamie Smith (SB) | The England wicketkeeper-batter was a marquee direct signing and gives Southern Brave firepower at the top of the order. |
| Phil Salt (WF) | Captains Welsh Fire and provides the aggressive top-order intent the franchise has often lacked in this fixture. |
| Joe Root (WF) | One of Welsh Fire’s marquee auction signings, adding class and experience to a top order chasing its first win over Southern Brave since 2023. |
| Jordan Cox (WF) | The in-form wicketkeeper-batter gives Welsh Fire another aggressive option at the top of the innings. |
Winner Prediction
Southern Brave’s head-to-head dominance in this fixture, combined with Jofra Archer’s new-ball threat and a settled batting unit led by Jamie Smith and Marcus Stoinis, makes them the side to beat at their home ground.
Welsh Fire’s reinforced top order of Salt, Root and Cox gives them more firepower than in recent seasons, but until they end their run of defeats in this fixture, Southern Brave remain the side with both history and home conditions on their side.
