Zak Crawley shines as Northern Superchargers beat Welsh Fire

England's Test openers made an unbeaten 63 as the hosts chased down Welsh Fire's 143 for 9 with ease at Headingley

ECB Media | 07/08/2025 at 21:45

Headingley: Welsh Fire 143-9, Northern Superchargers 147-2 - Northern Superchargers won by eight wickets

Zak Crawley shone under the lights at Headingley to make an unbeaten 63 and lead Andrew Flintoff's Northern Superchargers to an assured eight-wicket win over Welsh Fire.

The England man hit five fours and four sixes across his enterprising 37-ball stay at the crease to see the Superchargers to a brace of home wins on their opening matchday of The Hundred, following the women’s team’s win earlier in the day.

crawleybrook0708

^{Crawley finsihed the innings unbeaten with his captain and England colleague Harry Brook at the other end (Stu Forster/Getty Images)}

Crawley was accompanied by captain and fellow England star Brook to hit the winning runs at the end, book-ending a day that started with Jonny Bairstow and Steve Smith putting on 62 for the opening wicket for Welsh Fire.

The pair were booed on their way to the crease, but they looked as if they'd get their own back on their crowd, before Smith was bowled by Matthew Potts, and the Fire innings began to lose its heat.

Fire fought their way to 143 for 9 from their 100 balls, but Crawley, Dawid Malan (41) and Brook (25 not out) made light work of the chase – knocking off the runs with 11 balls to spare.

Brook signalled his arrival at the crease with a first-ball six over mid-off, and his innings brought plenty of cheer to the Headingley crowd, who on the basis of this performance, may have plenty to celebrate across The Hundred this season.