Harry Brook’s quick-fire half-century guided the Northern Superchargers to a 60-run victory over the Southern Brave as the visitors piled up a record score.

Brook smashed 63 off 27 in his first innings since the Men’s Ashes as the Superchargers racked up 201 for three – the second-highest total in the men’s competition’s history and the highest by the men's Superchargers team.

Matt Short began the free scoring as the Australian clubbed 73 in a first-wicket partnership of 97 with Tom Banton, who added 44 as only Rehan Ahmed and Tymal Mills picked up wickets.   

Reece Topley took three for 30 as the Superchargers continued their unbeaten start, and the Brave suffered their second defeat in three matches.  

Short overturned an lbw decision on four before unleashing an astonishing assault of drives, pulls, flicks, and punches on the Brave bowlers in his incredible innings of 73.  

When Short finally holed out to deep mid-wicket off Ahmed, Banton took on the mantle of big hitting, targeting Leus du Plooy and Mills with some sensational shots.  

 Craig Overton dropped a simple chance at long-on with Brook on 12, and this proved costly as the Yorkshireman took Tim David for three consecutive sixes.   

Overton partially redeemed himself by taking the catch to dismiss Banton for 44 after he skied a Mills slower ball.  

David Wiese was run out, however Brook continued to inflict punishment on the bowlers as he reached 73 off just 36 balls, and Adam Hose’s six off the final ball of the innings took the Superchargers to their record score of 201, also the highest total in The Hundred at the Utilita Bowl.

Faced with a record chase, Brave did not get off to a fast start as they only reached 11 off the first ten balls, and lost opener Finn Allen who he drove straight to mid-on.

James Vince started well, latching on to two wide deliveries from Wayne Parnell and helping consecutive leg-side deliveries from Topley behind square for boundaries.

But the run rate slowed down as spin dominated especially left-arm spinner Callum Parkinson, who varied his pace effectively and found turn off a sticky pitch, and England leg-spinner Adil Rashid who used his full repertoire of deliveries.  

Devon Conway was caught in the deep by off Parnell and Vince top edged Rashid to point on the ring and Du Plooy was bowled by Topley.

The required rate had become impossible, but David put on some fireworks for the 12,569 Utilita Bowl crowd with four sixes in his 40 off 19 balls.  

He was caught attempting a fifth, as Superchargers secured a dominant victory.

Southern Brave captain James Vince:

“We had a long debrief there and it was mainly about what we can do to get back to winning ways.

“It is a fairly heavy defeat and not our best way across all aspects of our game but conditions took us a bit by surprise – we didn’t expect it to spin that much.

“We were off it with the ball. 200 was a fair few over par and it was difficult to get going with the bat.

“We were sloppy in the field so we didn’t help ourselves, but honestly we were completely outplayed from the word go.

“We still had bowling options and we got through with Chris Jordan in the last game with the bowling options we had. In the first few games the batting hadn’t fired so we felt the extra batter would help the balance of the side.

“Given the conditions the batting was okay today but it doesn’t look so great when you are chasing 200.

“We are hopeful of getting CJ back in a week or so. It is still early days with the injury so we will see how he recovers in the next four or five days. We obviously want to get him back as soon as possible.”