Birmingham Phoenix got the win they desperately needed with a big victory over Manchester Originals. They won by 16 runs in a thrilling contest at Edgbaston. Ellyse Perry was the chief destroyer with the bat in this victory. Her 55 off 48 balls was a team-leading performance, as she carried her squad to a 3-wicket win over North Dakota. With her, Sterre Kalis also played a critical innings, remaining not out on 43 runs.
Birmingham Phoenix printed the Show with an enormous purpose of 111 runs in 100 balls. At the other end, the Originals found it tough to keep up with the run rate needed. Try as they might, the Manchester Originals only mustered a score of 95 runs, coming in well short of their target. Megan Schutt was excellent as the Originals’ premier bowler. She was on fire with the ball, taking three wickets for just 14 runs in her four overs.
In the other must see match of the day, the Trent Rockets faced up against Welsh Fire. They won their race convincingly, taking first place on a score of 145-6. The Rockets continued to impress with their hitting prowess. Bryony Smith opened the batting and set the tone with a rapid 38 off 27 balls, as did Sophia Sciver-Brunt with another mature innings of 38.
Welsh Fire fought hard but could only amass 122 runs on the board. They managed to score just 83 runs while losing nine wickets in their allotted 100 balls. Sophia Dunkley was the top-scorer for the Fire with 26 runs and was unable to guide her side home. And boy did the Rockets’ no-fly zone, aka their bowling attack, respond. Alana King led the charge, taking 3 wickets for just 17 runs. Freya Davies stood out, delivering with the ball in hand to take figures of 3-26.
In the first game of the season, the Manchester Originals’ batting order collapsed in the clutch, failing to respond when put under pressure. Despite Seren Smale’s valiant 29, nobody was able to build partnerships as wickets fell in quick succession. Her dismissal on the boundary for only 13 runs was a huge turning point. This series of misfortunes was enough to stop the Manchester Originals from gaining any momentum in their chase.
Birmingham Phoenix’s gamble in batting first worked as they made a daunting target that was just beyond the reach of their rivals. The mix of Perry’s spirited stroke play and Kalis’ calm anchoring of the innings provided a strong platform for their total.
Trent Rockets took full advantage of their terrific display with the bat to post a mammoth target in their match against Welsh Fire. It was the brakes that their bowlers put on Australia’s scoring efforts that truly earned them their place in the final.
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