The Hundred: Trent Rockets soar past Birmingham Phoenix at Edgbaston to claim second straight win
Trent Rockets comfortably beat Birmingham Phoenix in Midlands derby to move above rivals in The Hundred table; Heather Graham smashes unbeaten 44 from 21 balls before the competition's leading wicket-taker Sammy-Jo Johnson added another three to her tally
Sunday 1 August 2021 14:51, UK
After a slow start the Trent Rockets are up and running - they claimed a second win on the bounce and with it the Midlands bragging rights after seeing off Birmingham Phoenix at Edgbaston...
STORY OF THE MATCH
Trent Rockets made it back-to-back wins in The Hundred as they beat Birmingham Phoenix in the Midlands derby with Australians Heather Graham and Sammy-Jo Johnson coming to the fore at Edgbaston.
Johnson got the Rockets off to a flyer with the bat as she hit 29 from 21 balls before being run out at the non-striker's end by Abtaha Maqsood soon after the powerplay.
Rachel Priest (18 from 15) and Nat Sciver (27 from 23) both fell just as they were threatening to get going but with the innings in danger of stalling, Graham came out and blasted an unbeaten 44 from 21 balls, including four fours and two sixes to take the visitors to 145 from their 100 balls.
- Scorecard: Birmingham Phoenix vs Trent Rockets
- Phoenix vs Rockets - as it happened ball-by-ball
- The Hundred - latest standings
Eve Jones (17 from nine) and Shafali Verma (14 from seven) got the Phoenix chase off to a good start, hitting three boundaries apiece, but neither was able to go on, Johnson accounting for Jones before Verma was bowled by Katherine Brunt's superb slower ball.
Sciver then accounted for Amy Jones and when Johnson removed Gwenan Davies, the Phoenix were five wickets down after 48 balls and in real trouble.
Katie Mack and Georgia Elwiss steadied things before Issy Wong made a case for being moved up the order as she thumped 27 from 11 balls, included two big sixes, but it was not enough as the Rockets held on for an 11-run win.
BRUNT VS VERMA: THE BATTLE CONTINUES
Anyone who saw England's multi-format series against India earlier in the summer will know all about this contest - experienced fast bowler Brunt facing off with 17-year-old big-hitting opener Verma.
Neither player will take a backwards step on the field and it led to some brilliant battles throughout that series, each of them being able to claim individuals victories with Brunt perhaps just coming out on top.
If you missed that, then this game was essentially that battle in a nutshell! Verma came out flying and pulled Brunt for four in the first set of five, the Phoenix batter followed it up by slapping the ball back over Brunt's head when she returned to the attack later in the powerplay.
The Rockets bowler was clearly furious but she had the last laugh as, with the very next ball, she produced a fantastic slower ball that completely deceived Verma and hit the base of the stumps! Another win for Brunt but Verma will already be looking ahead to their next meeting...
SHOT OF THE MATCH
All-rounder Graham was the star for the Rockets taking a wicket and a couple of catches as well but it was with the bat that she really made her mark.
It was her 21-ball blitz that took the away side up to what proved a winning total and two balls against Elwiss really showed what the Australian is all about.
The first showed her excellent touch and technique as she executed a brilliant reverse paddle-sweep to get four and then next highlighted her power, heaving the ball high over the legside and all the way for six!
She was given a run for her money in the power stakes though. Issy Wong might be better known for her bowling - she is probably the fastest bowler in the women's competition - but she showed off her batting skills at Edgbaston, the highlight being back-to-back sixes off Sciver as the Phoenix made a late push for victory.
Ultimately, they came up short but Wong may well have done enough to persuade the Phoenix coaches that she is worthy of a promotion up the batting order.
WHAT THEY SAID
Birmingham Phoenix captain Amy Jones: "I think it's a tough one. I was pretty happy with how we bowled in general, it just got away from us a bit at the end.
"I think Heather Graham played a great knock, but on the whole we were pretty happy with the first half. Then when we batted it was difficult for the top order and I think it made it more frustrating then seeing Issy go out there and whack those sixes.
"It was disappointing that we left so much to do for those girls at the end there. Everyone fought back throughout the first innings, and then Issy at the end which was fantastic, so there are positives to take away."
Trent Rockets' Heather Graham: "I enjoyed batting out there. As the ball got a little bit older and softer, it got a little bit easier to bat. We were probably a little but under par towards the back end so the way myself and Abi finished off just got us up to a good total.
"Then they started well with the bat but our bowlers came back really well and used their variations and I think they showed the composure that our team has started to create now.
"We needed that win - that's two wins away from home, now so now we have to do it back at Trent Bridge.
"It was a really good atmosphere. It slowly built from the very first ball and it's something that we don't experience as much in the WBBL as they have moved away from double-heeaders with the boys. So from halfway it was amazing."
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Hundred Live
The Hundred Live
There are another two games in The Hundred on Monday as Oval Invincibles take on Welsh Fire at The Kia Oval...
- Oval Invincibles vs Welsh Fire (women's match) - 2pm on Sky Sports Cricket YouTube, Sky Sports The Hundred, Sky Sports Mix and Sky Sports Main Event
- Oval Invincibles vs Welsh Fire (men's match) - 6pm on on Sky Sports Cricket YouTube, Sky Sports The Hundred, Sky Sports Mix and Sky Sports Main Event
Watch The Hundred live on Sky Sports between now and August 21.
