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Now... The Chase!

Could Phoenix respond? The answer arrived quickly. No. At least, not initially. London Spirit's defence began with Marizanne Kapp removing Jemima Spence for 2 off 5 balls. Phoenix managed only 21/1 after 25 balls. That meant 120 runs were needed from the remaining 75 balls. Davina Perrin and Ellyse Perry tried to rebuild, but the required rate kept climbing. Perry managed only 6 off 10, before Charlie Dean produced another key breakthrough. Phoenix were already chasing the game rather than the target.

How dramatic was Kapp's acceleration? Very. She went from steadying the innings to absolutely owning the final stretch. Kapp smashed 57 off only 28 balls*, including two fours and six sixes, striking at a ridiculous 203.57. She reached her fifty from just 26 balls, which included hitting three consecutive sixes against Alice Capsey. That included three sixes in the penultimate set against Alice Capsey. Nadine de Klerk added a crucial 13 off 6*, including a six and a four.

The result? 37 runs from the final 20 balls. Spirit finished on 140/4. Alana King was Phoenix's standout bowler with 2/18, but Kapp had stolen the show with the bat.

What changed after that? Alana King delivered the big blow. Jones had made 39 off 30, but King got her with a leading edge after a sharp turn and broke the partnership. Spirit were 57/2 at the halfway mark, and the pressure was back on. Marie Kelly, however, struggled to find the boundary, eventually making 17 off 22 balls. Alice Capsey then joined the party by removing Kelly at 68 balls. Could Spirit still reach a competitive total? Enter Marizanne Kapp. And this was where the innings changed gears dramatically.

So, how did London Spirit build the platform? Not in a hurry. Birmingham Phoenix struck early through Fatima Sana, who removed Grace Harris for a four-ball duck. The Powerplay belonged to the bowlers, with Spirit crawling to just 24/1 after 25 balls. Sana was outstanding, conceding only 14 runs from her first 15 balls. But Amy Jones refused to panic. She found six boundaries and helped Spirit reach 50 in 42 balls. Marie Kelly played the supporting role, and suddenly the innings had a pulse.

9:52 PM IST, 5:22 PM LOCAL TIME: Sometimes, the game is not about how brightly you start, but how calmly you finish, and London Spirit mastered that lesson at Lord’s. Could Birmingham Phoenix have chased 141? They certainly had the opportunity. But Spirit kept taking wickets at the right moments and eventually sealed a 32-run victory, defending 140/4. Phoenix finished on 108/8 from 100 balls. London Spirit move to sixth, while Phoenix remain at the bottom in the points table. A tough night for the visitors. A timely win for Spirit.

Marizanne Kapp (Hero of the Match): (On what makes Lord's special) "To be honest, I don't know. I think it's the atmosphere and just how special this ground has been for years and years. As I was growing up, you always heard about Lord's, and over the last couple of years, I've been blessed to play here.

(On whether the Lord's slope suits her bowling) I think so. That's why I was happy when the London Spirit called me up and asked if I wanted to play for them. I always enjoy playing at Lord's.

(On London Spirit's disappointing season) To be honest, we probably haven't batted well either. I feel like Lord's is probably the quickest wicket to bat on in England. So I feel like we've been very slow to learn and adjust to the conditions. Today's the first time we've batted first and actually put on a decent score."

So, who were the match-winners? For London Spirit, it was a proper team effort. Kapp's 57-ball? No, 57 from 28 balls - the distinction matters, as it completely transformed their innings. Her six sixes were the fireworks Phoenix could not answer. King bowled brilliantly with 2/18, while Dean's 3/17 in the chase broke Phoenix's resistance. Sana had earlier given Phoenix hope with 1/25, but Spirit had too much depth. Their final 37-ball? Again, 37 runs from the final 20 balls - that was the decisive swing.

That is all from here! London Spirit turned a cautious beginning into a winning total, then defended it with discipline and timely wickets. Kapp provided the spark. Dean provided the control. Phoenix had moments, but never enough of them together.

Until then, I am Dev Rajawat, signing off, along with my co-commentator, Pritam Dey, and scorer Paras Yadav. That’s it from our side. Thanks for joining. But cricket doesn’t sleep. Plenty is happening around the world. Switch tabs, follow the fun. Goodbye from this tab! TAKE CARE! BREATHE AND SMILE! CIAO!!!