Marcus Stoinis Inspires Southern Brave to First Hundred Victory with Dramatic Win Over Birmingham Phoenix

Marcus Stoinis delivered a match-winning all-round performance as Southern Brave secured their first victory of The Hundred men's competition, defeating Birmingham Phoenix by 12 runs in a thrilling contest that went down to the final overs.

After three consecutive defeats, Southern Brave kept their playoff hopes alive by successfully defending a modest total of 128. The victory lifted them level on points with Birmingham Phoenix, who squandered what had appeared to be a comfortable run chase.

Phoenix looked firmly in control after reaching 52 for 1 from 47 balls, but the momentum shifted dramatically as Brave's bowlers sparked a remarkable collapse. Will Smeed was the first to fall, caught at long-on while attempting an ambitious hit off Luke Wood. Chris Jordan then removed Rehan Ahmed shortly after the batter had scooped him for six, with Jofra Archer taking a well-judged catch in the deep.

Archer struck again by dismissing captain Donovan Ferreira, who was clean bowled attempting a cross-batted stroke, reducing Phoenix to 65 for 4 and leaving them needing 64 runs from the remaining 39 balls.

Laurie Evans and Mitchell Owen briefly steadied the innings before Stoinis broke the partnership, inducing an edge from Evans. Adil Rashid then dismissed Owen, leaving Phoenix struggling after losing five wickets in just 30 balls.

Earlier, Stoinis had played a crucial role with the bat after Southern Brave endured another slow start. The Australian all-rounder injected much-needed momentum by smashing Scott Currie for consecutive sixes, including a towering 98-metre hit, during his aggressive 34-run knock. His innings ended spectacularly when Ferreira pulled off one of the catches of the tournament at short cover.

Stoinis also proved decisive with the ball, conceding just three runs from a spell of 10 consecutive deliveries. His disciplined bowling applied sustained pressure and laid the foundation for Phoenix's collapse.

Despite the setbacks, Birmingham Phoenix remained in contention entering the closing stages. Jofra Archer delivered a superb five-ball spell, conceding only two runs to leave Phoenix requiring 29 from the final 10 balls. Sean Dickson briefly reignited hopes with two sixes off Chris Jordan, but Luke Wood held his nerve in the final over, claiming two wickets, while Rashid added a sharp run-out to seal an unlikely 12-run victory.

Named the Meerkat Match Hero, Stoinis reflected on the importance of the win.

"We needed that. Batting first, it's difficult to know what a good score is. Even if the wicket isn't the easiest, it's hard to convince yourself how to approach it. Once you're defending, you understand how to bowl on it. On a surface like this, it's about subtle changes of pace and staying consistent," he said.

Southern Brave's breakthrough victory keeps their campaign alive and provides renewed confidence as they look to climb into the knockout places, while Birmingham Phoenix will be left ruing a missed opportunity after allowing a winning position to slip away.