Welsh Fire got their 2026 Hundred campaign properly off and running on Saturday, with a pair of wins over MI London at Sophia Gardens.

The Fire’s New Zealand overseas contingent were the main protagonists en route to comfortable wins over their opponents, with Rachin Ravindra and Sophie Devine starring with the bat, before Lockie Ferguson took 4-27 with the ball.

Devine and Australian World Cup winner Georgia Wareham headlined a powerful display from Welsh Fire to sweep aside MI London by 60 runs in the opening match of Saturday afternoon.

Fire collected the wooden spoon last summer but on this form they could be contenders for the title as they posted 177 for 4, the third-highest total in the history of the women’s competition, and restricted their opponents to just 117.

Narrowly defeated by Southern Brave in their opening fixture in a game they should have won, Fire built a strong foundation here through openers Georgia Voll and Ella McCaughan after they were asked to bat by MI London.

The pair put on 49 in 36 deliveries before Hayley Matthews deceived McCaughan, who departed with 27 from 23 balls with a dipping delivery that she swatted to Hollie Armitage at extra cover.

The dangerous Freya Kemp departed two balls later, run out for the second match in succession, but Voll continued to play her shots, the Aussie eventually falling for a 26-ball 42 when she skied Melie Kerr to Chinelle Henry at long-on.

Devine and Wareham then showed off their full array of strokes as they shared a thrilling fourth-wicket stand of 79 in just 35 deliveries.

Devine hit Matthews for 14 in the space of three balls, including two mighty sixes, and the skipper finally fell to the penultimate delivery of the innings, stumped off a Matthews wide having made 52 off 29. Wareham was equally as brutal, blitzing an unbeaten 43 from 20.

Em Arlott hit the final ball of the innings for six to pile more pressure on MI London, who never got going in reply.

Grace Potts was their tormentor in chief, removing the top three to finish with figures of 3 for 24, and Henry was the only MI London batter to offer any real resistance, making 30 before being dismissed by Devine, who returned figures of 2 for 15.

Wareham finished with figures of 2-23, capping off a superb all-round display by trapping Dani Gregory lbw to wrap up a comprehensive victory.

“The way we started with the bat was awesome and then we were clinical with the ball,” she said.

“First game at home, we want to make this our fortress.”

Facing the three-time reigning champions in MI London Men, the Fire, led by Ravindra’s classy 98, were too good for the star-studded London outfit.

Ravindra, whose 44-ball 98 left the Sophia Gardens crowd purring before he took a stunning caught-and-bowled to take the pivotal wicket of James Vince, showed why the Fire were so keen to bring him to Cardiff, following impressive displays for sister club Washington Freedom.

Fire had struggled to find their rhythm after MI London won the toss and asked them to bat.

Phil Salt spooned a catch to Sherfane Rutherford to give Tom Curran the early breakthrough and when Matthew Short was bowled by Richard Gleeson the hosts had laboured to 20 for 2 from 22 deliveries.

But when Ravindra entered the action he appeared to be batting on a different surface, racing to his half-century in 22 balls and bringing up the milestone by dispatching Rashid Khan over the midwicket boundary.

With Joe Root – who finished on 29 from 26 – playing second fiddle, Ravindra kept his foot on the gas, hitting four sixes in the space of eight deliveries and passing Jonny Bairstow’s record (86*) for the highest score by a Fire batter in the men’s competition.

Jordan Cox (17* from 9) played a lively cameo after Root was stumped off Khan but all eyes were on Ravindra as he approached his century, only for the Kiwi stroke maker to fall for 98 from the 98th delivery of the innings, skewing a catch to Jason Roy off the impressive Trent Boult (1 for 16).

In reply Will Jacks fell early to Sam Cook but the visitors looked well-placed at 72 for 1 after 46 deliveries before Lockie Ferguson struck twice in consecutive balls, castling Roy and then dismissing Sam Curran for a golden duck.

The New Zealander’s pace caused issues all day, with Ferguson finishing with impressive figures of 4-27.

Fire’s bowlers held their nerve at the death as Rutherford – 24* from 18 – flexed his muscles, Ferguson returning to clean up Tom Curran and secure his team’s second win of the campaign.

“We know how good the MI London side is and the history and pedigree of their team, and for us to put on a performance on our home ground, the way we played, was fantastic,” Ravindra said.

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