SOUTHERN Brave eased to a third win in four Hundred matches to move to the top of the men’s table with skipper James Vince and the in-form Quinton de Kock firing them to an eight-wicket win over Welsh Fire.

Chasing 145 for victory after the Fire chalked up a competitive score of 144 for five, Vince combined elegance with big-hitting as he hit 51 from 39 balls to put his side in a strong position for a place in the final on August 21.

De Kock, fresh from his match-winning 72 against the Northern Superchargers on Saturday, scored 57 not out as he and Alex Davies wrapped up the victory with 13 balls to spare.

Ireland batsman Paul Stirling got the Brave off to a strong start, smashing three fours and a six in his seven-ball vigil, before he found the hands of Glenn Phillips off Luke Fletcher for 18.

Stirling’s exit brought Vince to the crease and he and De Kock put on 86 for the second wicket, with the skipper bringing up his 50 from 37 balls before he was caught by Ian Cockbain off Qais Ahmad.

De Kock would have been out for 18 had Fire opted to review an lbw shout against the South African when Ahmad trapped him on the front pad. That decision proved to be pivotal as he guided the home side to victory, smashing five fours and two sixes.

Vince won the toss and elected to field on a hybrid surface at the Ageas Bowl.

The visitors began well with 11 runs scored off the first five balls from George Garton with Glamorgan’s David Lloyd belting the final ball of the opening set of five balls for six.

That early onslaught prompted Vince to immediately turn to the off-spin of Danny Briggs and he was vindicated when Lloyd found the skipper’s hands at short cover.

Dangerman Tom Banton looked in great touch for the Fire, smashing 36 from 20 balls including huge successive sixes off Garton.

But the Somerset star perished after chancing his arm once too often against Jake Lintott and was caught on the boundary rope by Davies.

Lintott struck again just three deliveries later when Cockbain slapped the ball straight to Colin de Grandhomme – reducing his side to 70 for three.

Vince persisted with spin, bringing Briggs back into the attack, and he was rewarded when the Sussex man beat Ben Duckett’s defences immediately after being hit for four to send the visiting skipper on his way for seven.

Struggling at 78 for four, New Zealand big-hitter Glenn Philipps and Leus de Plooy took time to get themselves in before accelerating to a valuable 62-run stand off 20 balls.

But the final 10 balls of the innings were bowled superbly by Brave veterans Tymal Mills and Chris Jordan with just nine runs scored before the chase was polished off by the hosts.