Captain Salt leads Hearth to victory in opposition to Courageous

The Hundred men’s competition, Utilita Bowl

Southern Courageous 135-7 (100 balls): Miller 44 (35); Jansen 2-17

Welsh Hearth 138-4 (98 balls): Salt 47* (37); Chaudhary 2-19

Welsh Hearth received by way of six wickets

Scorecard. Table

Welsh Hearth captain Phil Salt led from the doorway as his unbeaten 47 helped them originate the 2026 Hundred season with a six-wicket obtain in opposition to Southern Courageous in Southampton.

Inclined global quantity 1-ranked T20 batter Salt is The Hundred’s all-time main scorer, having hit 1,138 runs in 5 seasons at the side of his feeble aspect Manchester Originals.

Having signed for Hearth as their captain quicker than this 365 days’s competition, he’s aiming to information the Welsh franchise, who finished backside of each and every the men’s and women’s desk excellent season, to their first-ever identify.

Chasing 136 on Wednesday, Salt carried out the supporting function early on as fellow opener Matt Fast struck a brisk 20 quicker than he stored the corporate heading in the real path thru partnerships with Joe Root (14) and Rachin Ravindra (24).

With 9 runs required from the nice 5 balls, Asa Tribe hit Courageous captain Chris Jordan’s first ball for 4 quicker than Salt sealed the victory with a six two balls later.

Batting first, Courageous misplaced openers Jamie Smith and Ben McKinney for unmarried figures however 18-twelve months-used Thomas Rew helped rebuild their innings with a flashy 41 from 30 balls.

The Hearth bowlers, led by way of Marco Jansen who finished with 2-17, stored the scoring in check out for reasonably numerous the innings.

David Miller struggled to look out his rhythm at the originate of his innings however finished strongly for Courageous quicker than departing within the penultimate starting up with a 35-ball 44, which lifted the hosts to 135-7, which one way or the other proved no longer sufficient.