Harry Brook smashed the quickest Hundred century nevertheless it proved in useless as Welsh Fire stored alive their hopes of creating Saturday’s eliminator with an eight-wicket win over Northern Superchargers at Headingley.
Brook crashed a scintillating 105 off 42 balls however discovered little help as Superchargers posted 158 for seven.
Stephen Eskinazi’s fifty set Fire on their manner, earlier than Jonny Bairstow hit 44 and Joe Clarke 42 to elevate the guests to victory.
Fire will attain the eliminator if Manchester Originals beat Southern Brave on Wednesday.
Brook, who was unnoticed of England’s World Cup squad final week, performed a outstanding lone hand to guide a Superchargers restoration.
Matthew Short, Tom Banton and Adam Lyth all departed inside the primary 20 balls to depart Superchargers reeling at 10 for 3, having received the toss.
Brook started patiently alongside Adam Hose, however exploded into life after Hose fell to David Payne after 33 balls.
He produced an audacious ramp over third for six from a searing Lockie Ferguson bouncer and hit Roelef van der Merwe down the bottom for one more thumping most.
Brook was working out of companions as Adil Rashid fell to the left-arm spinner and David Wiese was run out by Tom Abell to depart the whole at 92 for seven.
But Brook marched on undeterred, reaching 50 from 24 balls, and hit the accelerator by smashing 19 from Luke Wells’ five-ball set.
The right-hander mixed outrageous energy with pure timing, hammering Ferguson down the bottom for a six which landed on the Sky Sports commentary pod.
With 10 balls of the innings remaining Brook was on 76 however he surged to his century with two extra sixes and 4 fours as 30 got here from these remaining 10 deliveries.
Momentum was with the hosts however Eskinazi quickly set about altering that.
The right-hander hit two sixes from Reece Topley’s second set, earlier than being given a life as Topley and Matthew Potts left a excessive catch to one another.
Eskinazi made probably the most of his reprieve, crashing his strategy to 50 from simply 19 balls, together with three sixes, with Fire effectively positioned on 66 with out loss after 40 balls.
The introduction of Rashid utilized the brakes – particularly to Bairstow who had simply eight from his first 18 balls.
Rashid then made the important thing breakthrough, bowling Eskinazi for 58 from the 51st ball, with Fire needing 82 extra to win.
Bairstow started to seek out his fluency as he and new batter Clarke each launched sixes off Wiese, earlier than Callum Parkinson’s 10-ball set ended badly with a six off Bairstow adopted by a no-ball which price 4 runs.
Fire have been cruising to the win, needing 19 from 20 balls, however Brook emerged once more with a shocking boundary catch to take away Bairstow for 44 – looping the ball up first to himself after which to Hose to keep away from carrying it over the rope.
But Clarke took his aspect dwelling, hitting 42 from 22 to maintain Fire’s hopes burning.