Sunrisers Leeds moved to second place in the Men’s Hundred 2026 standings after a dominant 45-run victory over Birmingham Phoenix at Edgbaston. While the visitors did not replicate their record-breaking six-hitting performance from their previous match against London Spirit, they managed their highest away total of the tournament, effectively eliminating the Phoenix from the knockout race. The win marked the Sunrisers’ fourth of the season, leaving them level on points with MI London and Welsh Fire, separated only by net run-rate.
Sent in to bat, the Sunrisers saw openers Ryan Rickelton and Mitchell Marsh continue their strong form. The pair raced to 46 runs during the Powerplay, with Marsh contributing 33 of those. Usman Tariq eventually broke the 52-run opening stand by bowling Marsh. Rickelton maintained his momentum to score a 37-ball 65, his second consecutive half-century, while Harry Brook added 19 before being trapped leg before wicket by Tariq. Despite a late-innings collapse where the team lost four wickets in 13 balls—including two run-outs—Matthew Potts and Liam Patterson-White struck two sixes in the final three balls to push the total to 169/7.
The Birmingham Phoenix chase struggled early against the pace of Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts. Carse dismissed Mitchell Owen, Will Smeed, and Rehan Ahmed, while the spin duo of Abrar Ahmed and Patterson-White restricted the scoring, limiting the hosts to just 63 runs at the halfway point. Although Joe Clarke and Sean Dickson attempted a recovery with a 44-run partnership, the required run rate proved insurmountable. Clarke eventually holed out, and Carse returned to dismiss Donovan Ferreira with a clever slower delivery.
The Phoenix innings faltered as wickets fell regularly, with Jordan Thompson remaining unbeaten on 25. Matthew Potts finished with impressive figures of 3-22, while Brydon Carse claimed 3-17. Nathan Ellis contributed a tight final set of five balls, ensuring no boundaries were conceded in the last 15 deliveries of the match. The result confirmed the Phoenix’s fifth consecutive loss, bringing their 2026 campaign to a premature end.
Brief Scores: Sunrisers Leeds 169/7 in 100 balls (Ryan Rickelton 65, Mitchell Marsh 34; Usman Tariq 2-28, Tom Helm 1-25) beat Birmingham Phoenix 124-8 in 100 balls (Sean Dickson 34, Jordan Thompson 25*; Brydon Carse 3-17, Matthew Potts 3-22, Abrar Ahmed 1-19) by 45 runs.
Ryan Rickelton was the star again with a 37-ball 65, before Brydon Carse bagged three wickets to break the back of the Phoenix batting line-up.
Both openers put on a clinical boundary-hitting display as the Sunrisers raced to 46 in the Powerplay, 33 of which came off Marsh’s bat.
Usman Tariq broke the 52-run partnership, cleaning up Marsh who stayed too leg-side of the ball.
The Sunrisers lost the toss and were asked to bat again, but the Mitchell Marsh-Rickelton pair picked up from where they left off at Headingley a few evenings ago.
Rickelton then took charge as the set batter and Harry Brook got in on the act himself after the halfway mark, launching Scott Currie over extra cover before ramping him next ball.
Tariq struck again though with Brook playing all around an attempted paddle to be trapped leg before for 19.
Captain Zak Crawley chipped one to long on, but Rickelton notched up his second consecutive half-century, keeping the Sunrisers on course for a big score.
He even took on Tariq, who was comfortably the best of the Phoenix bowlers on display.
Fresh off a Test recall, Dan Lawrence could only manage 14 runs and in the quest for quick runs, the Sunrisers lost four wickets in the space of 13 balls at death.
The seamer eventually bounced Owen out though, extending the Australian’s poor form in the competition.
But Phoenix were never on par with the eight-ball curve, mustering just 63 at the halfway mark as the spin duo of Abrar Ahmed and Patterson-White kept things tight.
