An unbeaten stand of 78 between Amy Jones and Ellyse Perry helped Phoenix make it two from two with an eight-wicket victory over the Rockets at Edgbaston; Emily Arlott's 3-19 helped restrict the visitors to 116-9 from their 100 balls
Saturday 20 August 2022 08:01, UK
Amy Jones' 48 off 28 balls powered the Birmingham Phoenix to their third consecutive win in The Hundred in front of a record crowd for women's domestic cricket at Edgbaston.
13,087 spectators flocked to watch as the Phoenix surged to the top of the women's standings, holding off for victory despite a spirited chase from the Superchargers.
Sophie Molineux's bowling proved key as she managed to hold the Superchargers to no runs off her first 10 balls on her way to excellent figures of 2-11 from her four sets.
The Phoenix now sit with three wins from three games, while the Superchargers have now won one, and lost two.
Birmingham Phoenix maintained their 100 per cent start to The Hundred with a five-run victory over Northern Superchargers at Edgbaston.
Phoenix have now won three from three this season after a stroke-laden 48 from Amy Jones, who hit nine fours in her 28-ball innings, lifted them to a testing 153-4 despite Alice Davidson-Richards' impressive 3-30.
Superchargers' reply then ran into a superb spell from Sophie Molineux. The Australia slow left-armer bowled her first two sets without conceding a run and returned to remove the dangerous Alyssa Healy (46 off 28 balls) on the way to figures of 2-11 from 20 balls as the visitors finished on 148-5.
Tickets for The Hundred are selling fast! If you want to be part of the action, go to thehundred.com/tickets
The visitors chose to bowl after winning the toss, but Phoenix started strongly as Eve Jones and Sophie Devine batted purposefully to add 37 from 23 balls between them.
Captain Devine had just stepped on the gas, with a four and a six from successive balls from Davidson-Richards, when she lifted the next to Laura Wolvaardt at deep square leg to depart for 19.
It proved an isolated early breakthrough, though, as second-wicket pair Amy and Eve Jones added 67 in 43 balls before the latter, having progressed to 34, lifted Katie Levick to extra cover.
Amy Jones played some sparkling strokes to advance to within two of a deserved half-century before Davidson-Richards lured her into sending up a leading edge to extra.
Molineux kept the momentum high with a rapid 24 before she was bowled by Davidson-Richards.
The Superchargers were hindered by the loss of bowler Beth Langston, who fell in the delivery stride of her 15th ball and limped off the field, and an unbeaten 22 from the consistent Ellyse Perry - who averages 119 in this year's competition - charged Phoenix towards a challenging total.
The Superchargers' innings started in curious fashion as Molineux delivered 10 balls without conceding a run at one end, but 40 came from the first 15 balls at the other as Healy took on Issy Wong and Georgia Elwiss.
The Australian hit seven fours and a six and was threatening to win the game single-handedly until Molineux returned to have her smartly stumped by Amy Jones.
Gaby Lewis, who had been the quieter partner in an opening stand of 68 from 45 balls, fell three balls later to a superb catch at deep mid-wicket by Gwenan Davies off Abtaha Maqsood.
And when Emily Arlott trapped Bess Heath lbw, three wickets had fallen for 12 runs in 15 balls and two runs per ball were needed from the last seven sets.
Wolvaardt (32) and captain Hollie Armitage (31), assisted by some untidy fielding, gave their side a chance but a skilful set by Wong cranked the equation up to 27 needed from 10 balls.
Molineux returned to have Wolvaardt caught at deep mid-wicket, then Armitage heaved Elwiss to the same position and Phoenix's winning record was safe.
Molineux on the record crowd: "It was a great and actually the crowd got really invested there the end. They kept taking it to us and credit to their batting order. They just kept coming at us but we sort of held on there which was really nice.
"It's massive I think we heard every single one and then later towards the back end, which is good that I think just to be over here playing this tournament. Yeah, it's loud, it's messy there's colours everywhere. It's just an amazing tournament to be involved in, I'm really lucky to be here.
"We're in great spirits. It's a great group, I'm really loving it over here and the coaches are awesome, the group of players are wonderful, so I'm loving it, we're halfway there and a big three games to go."
Next up in The Hundred, the Trent Rockets are back on home turf when they host London Spirit - with the women in action from 3.30pm and then then men take to the field at 7pm at Trent Bridge.
The Superchargers return home this weekend, when they host the Manchester Originals at Headingley on Sunday (games times the same as above).
The Phoenix are next in action on Tuesday against the Oval Invincibles (women's game at 3pm, men's game from 6.30pm) at The Kia Oval.
Watch every match from The Hundred this summer live on Sky Sports.
Tickets for The Hundred are selling fast! If you want to be part of the action, go to thehundred.com/tickets
