Welsh Fire secured their first win of 2025 as they beat Manchester Originals by 25 runs, despite Jos Buttler’s sublime 57 from 34 balls at Sophia Gardens.
The game was in the balance, with Originals needing 35 from 20 balls in pursuit of 138 to win when the former England white-ball captain was dismissed by spinner Chris Green.
Buttler looked emotional and gestured to the sky with his bat when he reached his half-century from 28 balls, honouring his father, who died last week.
Originals failed to recover from Buttler’s departure as they slumped to 112 all out, a collapse of six wickets for nine runs at the death.
Australia seamer Riley Meredith started Fire’s defence brilliantly with three early wickets, bowling with lively pace, as he finished with an incredible 4-9 and Green also impressed with 3-19.
England opener Phil Salt fell for three, with Green taking a fine catch on the boundary, Ben McKinney was beaten for pace and chipped to mid-off and Mark Chapman nicked to slip.
Buttler was the only batter to find fluency on a tricky surface, clubbing two sixes and six fours, but only Lewis Gregory with 21 was able to offer him any substantial support.
Earlier, young England prospect Sonny Baker impressed again as he dismissed Jonny Bairstow for a three-ball duck in a fiery opening burst that left Fire playing catch-up.
Steve Smith made 26 before he was dismissed by England quick Josh Tongue, who has now bowled at the Australian four times across all formats and dismissed him on each occasion.
On a slow surface, the Originals bowlers chipped away with regular wickets as Fire failed to gather momentum. All-rounder Green threatened a powerful finish with two sixes in his 19 from nine balls, but he was caught on the boundary off Tongue with five balls left.
Tongue bowled with decent pace to finish with 3-25, while Scott Currie closed out the innings effectively to take 3-21 and to become this year’s leading wicket-taker, with eight scalps.
The result sees Originals replace Fire at the bottom of the men’s table, though Fire’s women’s side remain winless.
