NS vs WF | Twitter in awe as Zak Crawley headlines Superchargers’ comfortable win over Welsh Fire

‌Northern Superchargers started their campaign in The Hundred Men’s Competition 2025 season with a convincing eight-wicket win over Welsh Fire at Headingley in Leeds on Friday. Opener Zak Crawley smashed four sixes and five fours to remain unbeaten on 67 off just 38 balls, as he powered the Superchargers to the target of 144 with 11 balls to spare.

After being put into bat first, the Welsh side got off to an excellent start courtesy of openers Steve Smith and Jonny Bairstow. The wicketkeeper-batter amassed 42 runs off just 23 balls, hitting seven fours, while Smith made an 18-ball 29. Both openers took the side to 52 runs at the end of the powerplay of 25 balls en route to adding 62 in 37 balls. But once they departed in the space of six balls, the Welsh batting collapsed, sliding from 78/3 to 133/9. Skipper Tom Abell was the next best batter for Welsh with 18 as they managed just 143/9 in their quota of 100 balls after a lightning start. Leg-spinner Adil Rashid picked up 2/25 in his four sets while Imad Wasim and Matthew Potts also ended with two wickets each for the Superchargers.

Crawley and Dawid Malan put the chase to bed with an aggressive opening partnership of 91 in just 52 balls that also saw them plunder 60 runs in the powerplay. The left-handed Malan hit two sixes and four fours to make a brisk 29-ball 41 before being dismissed by Riley Meredith. However, Crawley continued in the same vein to complete his half-century, with a huge six over long-off, in just 29 balls. He top-scored in the game and oversaw the chase in the company of captain Harry Brook, adding 47 runs, for the unbroken third wicket, in just 27 balls. Brook smashed two sixes and a four in his 15-ball 25 as the Superchargers reached 147/2 in 17.4 overs. Riley Meredith was the only Welsh bowler who got his name in the wickets column, finishing with figures of 2/33 in 20 balls.

Shot!

Well. Hi there, Steve Smith! 👋 

— The Hundred (@thehundred) 

Mentor!

Since the snubbed handshake at Old Trafford, Stokes is not missing out on any chance to shake hands with any and everyone 😅  

— Anshul Gupta (@oyegupta_) 

Well played!

Zak doing a Pant!

Cartwheel + 67 (38) = match-winner for Northern Superchargers vs Welsh Fire.*    

— lightningspeed (@lightningspeedk) 

victory!

Northern Superchargers Men won by 8 Wickets. Brilliant knock Zak Crawley 67*(38)[Player of the Match].   

— JaayShaan (VaidhyaJayaShankar) (@JaayShaan) 

Well played!

Northern Superchargers………..you beautiful bastards!  



Zak Crawley 67 not out 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻   

— Yorka! (@6yorka_) 

Superb!

Top Knock from King Zak  

— Aditya Gursahani (@adityagursahani) 

Ball by Ball !

Mohammad Amir 1-28 (20 balls) vs Fire

The Hundred League

Ball By Ball Highlights

Fox Sports 501 

— Amir (@khano_3) 

🩷

🥹🩷 

— The Hundred (@thehundred) 

Beautiful!

Steve Smith stunning cover drive in the hundred ��👌

— Khan (@Khanmohammed12) 

First ball six!

Just Tuned in and Brook hit the 1st ball he faced for a 6️⃣ 

— Karthik Rao (@Cric_Karthikk)