145/3 (19.4)
CR : 7.37
144/3 (20.0)
CR : 7.20
Birmingham Phoenix Women won by 7 wickets π
Player of the Match
E Perry
68(46)*
19.3
6
Heather Graham to Ellyse Perry
SIXXXX! PERRY YOU BEAUTY! THE PHOENIX STILL BELIEVE! It was pitched up and in the slot around middle stump at 64 mph. Perry cleared her front leg took it on the full and whacked it away over the deep mid wicket region for a MAXIMUM. Four runs needed from two balls now. This one is turning out to be a thriller.
What a crucial strike from the skipper. Perry delivers a killer blow. 4 needed now in the final 2 balls.
19.4
4
Heather Graham to Ellyse Perry
FOURR! ELLYSE PERRY DOES IT FOR HER SIDE! A CAPTAIN'S KNOCK UNDER INCREDIBLE PRESSURE! THE PHOENIX HAVE SAILED HOME AND IT'S THEIR FIRST WIN IN THE SEASON! It was bowled slightly short and wide outside off. Graham tried to keep it away from Perry's hitting arc. The Aussie was up to the task though. She backed away and cut it on the bounce past the backward point region. There was no fielder in the deep and once the ball had cleared the 30 yard circle it raced away to the boundary giving the Phoenix their first win in front of these capacity home crowd.
Over 20
Birmingham Phoenix Women 145/3
Ellyse Perry68(46)
Annerie Dercksen4(7)
Heather Graham0-34(19 b)
BP-W won by 7 wickets
6:05 PM IST, 1:35 PM LOCAL TIME: Cricket has a strange habit... it rewards patience, tests belief, and saves its loudest applause for the very last moment. Who smiled at the end? Birmingham Phoenix Women. And what a way to do it. Chasing 145, they held their nerve to finish on 145/3 in 99 balls, sealing a seven-wicket victory with one ball to spare and registering their first win of the season. Welsh Fire posted a competitive 144/3, powered by a magnificent 78 from Georgia Voll and a late blitz from Sophie Devine. But Ellyse Perry had other ideas. Supported brilliantly by Alice Capsey, the skipper scripted a chase worthy of the occasion. Pressure? Present. Panic? Optional. Phoenix chose belief instead.
Let's rewind a bit...
How did Welsh Fire begin after being sent in? With caution. Plenty of it. Georgia Voll and Ella McCaughan respected the new ball as Fatima Sana and Lauren Filer kept things exceptionally tight. The Fire reached only 25/0 in the Powerplay (25 balls), with the Phoenix conceding just six runs in the final ten Powerplay deliveries. Voll remained positive despite the slow start, while McCaughan happily played the supporting role. Both teams quietly ticked their boxes. Fire had wickets in hand. Phoenix had the scoring rate under control.
When did the innings burst into life? Right after the Powerplay. Voll switched gears as if someone had found the turbo button. The opening pair added 58 runs, with the team reaching 50 in just 34 balls, and Voll raced to a superb 50 off only 34 deliveries, smashing six fours and two sixes. Alice Capsey finally broke the stand on ball 42, removing McCaughan for 19, before returning to dismiss Freya Kemp for 3 with a sharp caught-and-bowled effort on ball 62. Yet Voll refused to slow down. Welsh Fire brought up 100 in 69 balls and marched to 106/2 at the Strategic Time-Out (75 balls), with Voll unbeaten on 68 and Sophie Devine beginning to find her rhythm.
Did Birmingham finish strongly with the ball? Yes. Just enough to keep the chase realistic. Linsey Smith finally ended Voll's breathtaking knock of 78 off 55 on ball 91, with Capsey taking the catch at long-on. That wicket briefly slowed Welsh Fire's charge, but Devine ensured the innings finished on a high. Her unbeaten 35 from just 19 balls, including two fours and three sixes, gave the Fire valuable late momentum as they closed on 144/3.
Capsey finished as the standout bowler with 2/24, while Smith chipped in with one wicket. Fatima Sana (9 runs in 10 balls) and Lauren Filer (15 in 20 balls) were outstanding with the new ball. Perhaps Phoenix left a few runs on the table by not completing Sana's allocation. Even so, they kept the target within touching distance.
Now... The Chase!
How did the chase begin? Answer: With an early wobble... and a quick recovery. Grace Potts struck on ball 5, dismissing Davina Perrin for 2, giving Welsh Fire the perfect start. Birmingham reached 33/1 at the end of the Powerplay, still needing 112 from the remaining 75 balls. Tammy Beaumont looked fluent before Georgia Wareham struck on ball 28, removing her for 14. At 35/2, the Fire sensed an opening. Birmingham needed someone to steady the ship. Enter Alice Capsey. Enter Ellyse Perry.
Who turned the chase around? A partnership built on timing rather than panic. Capsey and Perry stitched together a match-defining 86-run stand from just 54 balls for the third wicket. The Phoenix reached 50 in 42 balls, before accelerating beautifully through the middle overs. At the Strategic Time-Out (55 balls), they were 75/2, with Capsey unbeaten on 37 and Perry on 17, needing 70 more from 45 balls. Momentum had quietly changed colours. Birmingham crossed 100 in 67 balls, Capsey completed a brilliant 50 off just 28 balls, and Perry soon followed with her own half-century from 39 deliveries. One partnership. Endless problems for the Fire.
Was there one final twist? Of course. Cricket rarely leaves without one. Georgia Voll picked up the crucial wicket of Capsey for a sparkling 51 off 29 on ball 82, ending the huge stand and briefly bringing Welsh Fire back into the contest. But Perry stayed calm. Very calm. With 12 needed from the final five balls, she delivered the knockout punches. A towering six on the 98th ball off Heather Graham suddenly reduced the equation to four from two. Then came the finish. A fierce cut behind point on the 99th ball raced away for four. Game over. Captain's knock complete. Home crowd delighted.
Let's rewind a bit...
How did Welsh Fire begin after being sent in? With caution. Plenty of it. Georgia Voll and Ella McCaughan respected the new ball as Fatima Sana and Lauren Filer kept things exceptionally tight. The Fire reached only 25/0 in the Powerplay (25 balls), with the Phoenix conceding just six runs in the final ten Powerplay deliveries. Voll remained positive despite the slow start, while McCaughan happily played the supporting role. Both teams quietly ticked their boxes. Fire had wickets in hand. Phoenix had the scoring rate under control.
When did the innings burst into life? Right after the Powerplay. Voll switched gears as if someone had found the turbo button. The opening pair added 58 runs, with the team reaching 50 in just 34 balls, and Voll raced to a superb 50 off only 34 deliveries, smashing six fours and two sixes. Alice Capsey finally broke the stand on ball 42, removing McCaughan for 19, before returning to dismiss Freya Kemp for 3 with a sharp caught-and-bowled effort on ball 62. Yet Voll refused to slow down. Welsh Fire brought up 100 in 69 balls and marched to 106/2 at the Strategic Time-Out (75 balls), with Voll unbeaten on 68 and Sophie Devine beginning to find her rhythm.
Did Birmingham finish strongly with the ball? Yes. Just enough to keep the chase realistic. Linsey Smith finally ended Voll's breathtaking knock of 78 off 55 on ball 91, with Capsey taking the catch at long-on. That wicket briefly slowed Welsh Fire's charge, but Devine ensured the innings finished on a high. Her unbeaten 35 from just 19 balls, including two fours and three sixes, gave the Fire valuable late momentum as they closed on 144/3.
Capsey finished as the standout bowler with 2/24, while Smith chipped in with one wicket. Fatima Sana (9 runs in 10 balls) and Lauren Filer (15 in 20 balls) were outstanding with the new ball. Perhaps Phoenix left a few runs on the table by not completing Sana's allocation. Even so, they kept the target within touching distance.
Now... The Chase!
How did the chase begin? Answer: With an early wobble... and a quick recovery. Grace Potts struck on ball 5, dismissing Davina Perrin for 2, giving Welsh Fire the perfect start. Birmingham reached 33/1 at the end of the Powerplay, still needing 112 from the remaining 75 balls. Tammy Beaumont looked fluent before Georgia Wareham struck on ball 28, removing her for 14. At 35/2, the Fire sensed an opening. Birmingham needed someone to steady the ship. Enter Alice Capsey. Enter Ellyse Perry.
Who turned the chase around? A partnership built on timing rather than panic. Capsey and Perry stitched together a match-defining 86-run stand from just 54 balls for the third wicket. The Phoenix reached 50 in 42 balls, before accelerating beautifully through the middle overs. At the Strategic Time-Out (55 balls), they were 75/2, with Capsey unbeaten on 37 and Perry on 17, needing 70 more from 45 balls. Momentum had quietly changed colours. Birmingham crossed 100 in 67 balls, Capsey completed a brilliant 50 off just 28 balls, and Perry soon followed with her own half-century from 39 deliveries. One partnership. Endless problems for the Fire.
Was there one final twist? Of course. Cricket rarely leaves without one. Georgia Voll picked up the crucial wicket of Capsey for a sparkling 51 off 29 on ball 82, ending the huge stand and briefly bringing Welsh Fire back into the contest. But Perry stayed calm. Very calm. With 12 needed from the final five balls, she delivered the knockout punches. A towering six on the 98th ball off Heather Graham suddenly reduced the equation to four from two. Then came the finish. A fierce cut behind point on the 99th ball raced away for four. Game over. Captain's knock complete. Home crowd delighted.
Hero of the Match: Ellyse Perry
Ellyse Perry (Birmingham Phoenix Captain and Player of the Match): (On their first win at home) "Yeah it was lovely to have a win at home. Amazing atmosphere here. Beautiful morning to play cricket. We did well and restricted them to a par score. The girls did really well.
(On the run chase) We timed our chase well. It was good to get over the line. Some of the results haven't been there for us but we have gelled well as a group. We have been good in patches and we needed a result today. It was an opportunity for us today and we were excited about it.We soaked in the pressure well.
(On how the game ebbed and flowed) I think if you look at how the competition has gone. There has been a lot of tight games. The teams have chased well and it has been slow momentum at the back end of the innings. Partnerships were crucial and the way Alice Capsey batted was amazing. It was one of the ups for us. We wanted to give ourself some chance in the last 10 and take it deep. We got their in the end. Credit to Welsh Fire. They had a lot of bowling options and did well in the end.
(On the last over and chasing 12 runs) I felt like I had faced enough balls to get a feel of the surface. It was about two hits in the end. Also in between just tried to keep it nice and easy. The game was on knife's edge. It was a great contest. Sometimes these games go your way sometimes they don't.
(On the tournament so far and what improvements they would want) There has been so much change in the competition this year. The teams are getting in three members from the last season. It has been a challenge to get the squad together. I've loved the way the team management has gone about it. It has been about coming together and we had a great win today."
(On the run chase) We timed our chase well. It was good to get over the line. Some of the results haven't been there for us but we have gelled well as a group. We have been good in patches and we needed a result today. It was an opportunity for us today and we were excited about it.We soaked in the pressure well.
(On how the game ebbed and flowed) I think if you look at how the competition has gone. There has been a lot of tight games. The teams have chased well and it has been slow momentum at the back end of the innings. Partnerships were crucial and the way Alice Capsey batted was amazing. It was one of the ups for us. We wanted to give ourself some chance in the last 10 and take it deep. We got their in the end. Credit to Welsh Fire. They had a lot of bowling options and did well in the end.
(On the last over and chasing 12 runs) I felt like I had faced enough balls to get a feel of the surface. It was about two hits in the end. Also in between just tried to keep it nice and easy. The game was on knife's edge. It was a great contest. Sometimes these games go your way sometimes they don't.
(On the tournament so far and what improvements they would want) There has been so much change in the competition this year. The teams are getting in three members from the last season. It has been a challenge to get the squad together. I've loved the way the team management has gone about it. It has been about coming together and we had a great win today."
Alice Capsey (Birmingham Phoenix Women): (On Birmingham Phoenix's first win of the season) "It feels really good to get the win. We probably made it a little harder for ourselves than we would have liked, but I think that just showed Perry's experience. She stayed really calm, took the simpler options, struck the ball beautifully, and helped us get over the line. We've had a slow start to the tournament, so hopefully this gives us some momentum heading into a busy period.
(On getting out before the finish and Elise Perry's composure) I was kicking myself, to be honest. Nine times out of ten I'd back myself to clear that fielder, but I got a bit early on it and hit it too flat. If we hadn't won, I'd have been even more disappointed. Watching the way Perry took responsibility, took the chase deep, and stayed calm was incredible. Batting with her and listening to her plans was a great learning experience, and hopefully next time I'll clear the rope.
(On the improvements in her batting this year) Not going to the WPL gave me the chance to have a really solid training block. I worked on hitting more through the off side, my weight distribution to pick up length better, and also on my temperament and finding a blueprint that suits my game. I've trusted that blueprint throughout the summer, even when things haven't always gone my way, and that's probably the biggest difference compared to the last few years.
(On learning from Ellyse Perry) I've been really lucky to work closely with Perry as vice-captain. Just listening to how she thinks about the game, how calm she stays, and how she breaks a chase down into small parts has been brilliant. She's so experienced and so clear with her options, and it's something I've really enjoyed learning from over the last week and a half.
(On the tournament standings and building momentum) The table is really congested, so this win is important. We've got a busy schedule coming up, travelling to different venues, and hopefully this victory gives us confidence and momentum to keep moving forward.
(On the importance of net run rate) Net run rate can become important in competitions like this, but if you focus on it too much, you can lose sight of the main objective, which is winning the game. Today was about getting our first win on the board, celebrating it as a group, and then looking ahead."
(On getting out before the finish and Elise Perry's composure) I was kicking myself, to be honest. Nine times out of ten I'd back myself to clear that fielder, but I got a bit early on it and hit it too flat. If we hadn't won, I'd have been even more disappointed. Watching the way Perry took responsibility, took the chase deep, and stayed calm was incredible. Batting with her and listening to her plans was a great learning experience, and hopefully next time I'll clear the rope.
(On the improvements in her batting this year) Not going to the WPL gave me the chance to have a really solid training block. I worked on hitting more through the off side, my weight distribution to pick up length better, and also on my temperament and finding a blueprint that suits my game. I've trusted that blueprint throughout the summer, even when things haven't always gone my way, and that's probably the biggest difference compared to the last few years.
(On learning from Ellyse Perry) I've been really lucky to work closely with Perry as vice-captain. Just listening to how she thinks about the game, how calm she stays, and how she breaks a chase down into small parts has been brilliant. She's so experienced and so clear with her options, and it's something I've really enjoyed learning from over the last week and a half.
(On the tournament standings and building momentum) The table is really congested, so this win is important. We've got a busy schedule coming up, travelling to different venues, and hopefully this victory gives us confidence and momentum to keep moving forward.
(On the importance of net run rate) Net run rate can become important in competitions like this, but if you focus on it too much, you can lose sight of the main objective, which is winning the game. Today was about getting our first win on the board, celebrating it as a group, and then looking ahead."
Who were the heroes of this contest? Plenty of them. Georgia Voll produced one of the finest innings of the tournament with 78 off 55, while Devine's explosive finish ensured the Fire reached a defendable total. For Birmingham, Alice Capsey starred with both bat (51) and ball (2/24), making an impact in every department. But the final word belonged to Ellyse Perry. Her unbeaten 68 off 46, decorated with nine fours and a six, was an innings of control, class and composure. She didn't just chase a target. She chased away the pressure too.
What does this result mean? Birmingham Phoenix finally have lift-off. Their first win of the season arrives dramatically, built on resilience after early setbacks with both ball and bat. Welsh Fire will wonder if 144 was around 10 runs short, especially after dominating the middle phase of their innings. Fine margins decided this contest.
Until then, I am Dev Rajawat, signing off, along with my co-commentator, Soumarya Dutta, and scorer Zeeshan Naiyer. Thatβs it from our side. Thanks for joining. But cricket doesnβt sleep. Plenty is happening around the world. Switch tabs, follow the fun. Goodbye from this tab! TAKE CARE! BREATHE AND SMILE! CIAO!!!
What does this result mean? Birmingham Phoenix finally have lift-off. Their first win of the season arrives dramatically, built on resilience after early setbacks with both ball and bat. Welsh Fire will wonder if 144 was around 10 runs short, especially after dominating the middle phase of their innings. Fine margins decided this contest.
Until then, I am Dev Rajawat, signing off, along with my co-commentator, Soumarya Dutta, and scorer Zeeshan Naiyer. Thatβs it from our side. Thanks for joining. But cricket doesnβt sleep. Plenty is happening around the world. Switch tabs, follow the fun. Goodbye from this tab! TAKE CARE! BREATHE AND SMILE! CIAO!!!