Birmingham Phoenix will meet Southern Courageous in The Hundred Eliminator at The Kia Oval on Saturday after a nine-wicket victory over Manchester Originals.
In a match diminished to 30 balls per aspect amid inclement circumstances, Moeen Ali’s hosts got here out on prime to earn themselves the purpose they wanted to safe a top-three end.
Phoenix chased down their goal of 42 with ease, Jamie Smith depositing Fazalhaq Farooqi over the boundary twice within the first 5 balls to set the tone for the chase.
After a quieter second 5 from Farooqi, Ben Duckett smashed Tom Aspinwall’s first ball for six after which hit three of his subsequent 4 to the boundary because the rain teemed down in Birmingham, the umpires remaining unmoved, decided to see the sport to a consequence.
Smith was caught on the quilt boundary for 14 by Sikandar Raza off Scott Currie, however Duckett (22 not out) and Moeen knocked off the remaining seven runs required with eight balls to spare, the skipper securing the win with a six off Currie over fine-leg.
Profitable the toss and bowling first, Birmingham Phoenix struck early, Kiwi speedster Adam Milne eradicating Matthew Hurst from the second authorized supply of the match when the younger Lancastrian skied an opportunity to Liam Livingstone at mid-on.
Milne’s fellow Kiwi Tim Southee took the second set and was instantly smashed into the stands by Phil Salt. He was then sliced over short-third by Max Holden from the ultimate ball of the powerplay because the Originals took their rating as much as 15-1.
On the midway level of the innings, the Originals have been 22-2, Salt (12) mistiming a cross-bat shot off Milne from the fifteenth ball of the innings to present Livingstone his second catch of the night.
Sean Abbott then accounted for Paul Walter (1), caught at deep cowl, to make it 24-3. Holden (15) continued to swing onerous, the left-hander top-edging Southee for one more boundary, however his luck quickly ran out when he did not go over mid-off as Livingstone held onto a 3rd catch.
Chris Wooden closed out the innings, conceding simply three runs and taking the wicket of Raza caught by Jacob Bethell at deep midwicket. Originals closing on 41-5, hitting only one six of their innings.
Phoenix had simply 42 to chase to earn a visit to South London and so they did it with ease, making certain Andrew Flintoff’s first 12 months as Northern Superchargers Head Coach would finish with a fourth-place end
Participant of the match: Adam Milne
“To come out of the shortened game and into The Hundred Eliminator is very good for us,” stated Milne, who took 2-8.
“There was a little bit of swing and seam so it was nice to use that first up, but in these shortened games anything can happen, so [you] just mix it up.
“Anytime it is transferring round off the straight it is good. There’s been tons stated however as a bowler it is good to have a little bit bit going your method generally in these shorter codecs, there could be flat wickets and never a lot motion, so it is good to see a little bit of swing and seam sometimes.”
Phoenix Women and Originals Women share spoils in rain-ruined abandonment
Birmingham Phoenix and Manchester Originals concluded their 2024 campaigns in The Hundred with a rain-ruined abandonment as the teams were forced to share the points.
Both teams would have been keen to end on a high after disappointing seasons but the weather rolled in with the Phoenix on 98 for two, and settled in thereafter.
For Ellyse Perry in particular it was a frustrating end to a campaign that saw the Phoenix, as with the Originals, finish outside the top three.
Perry was the dominant figure of the play that was possible, batting beautifully to reach 45 from 39 balls, but with Perry and Amy Jones in the midst of building a useful partnership, the weather cut them off in their prime with 30 balls still remaining in their innings.
Earlier, Lauren Filer bowled with pace and fire to remove Sterre Kalis for 18, and Phoebe Graham picked up Fran Wilson for 18, but that was as good as it got for the Originals.
What’s next?
The Hundred continues on Saturday August 17 with an Eliminator between Oval Invincibles Women and London Spirit Women from The Kia Oval on Sky Sports Cricket from 1.45pm and Sky Sports Main Event at 2.30pm.
Then it’s the Eliminator between Birmingham Phoenix Men and Southern Brave Men on Sky Sports Cricket from 5.30pm.
Sky Sports+ has officially launched and will be integrated into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports activities app, giving Sky Sports activities clients entry to over 50 per cent extra reside sport this 12 months at no additional price. Discover out extra right here.
