Manchester Originals moved up to third in the Women's Hundred after a superb bowling display from off-spinner Fi Morris; watch every Hundred game on Sky Sports; every women's clash and selected men's fixtures streamed for free
Monday 7 August 2023 19:00, UK
Fi Morris claimed the best figures in the history of The Hundred as her five for seven fired Manchester Originals to victory over Birmingham Phoenix at Old Trafford.
The 29-year-old and England spin star Sophie Ecclestone shared nine wickets as the Phoenix were skittled for just 87 in 96 balls, with captain Ecclestone taking figures of four for 11 from 20 balls.
Morris is in her first season with the Originals having previously played for Southern Brave and Welsh Fire, and this was her best return in any form of senior cricket.
It was also the best haul of any bowler in either the women's or men's Hundred to date, beating Josh Little's five for 13 for the Originals men against Oval Invincibles, also at Old Trafford, last year.
All 10 Phoenix wickets fell to spin, with Australian Amanda-Jade Wellington also striking after the visitors had been inserted. Their collapse from 52 for one proved costly as they lost for the second time in three matches.
A tight opening spell from teenage UAE starlet Mahika Gaur, who went for just 18 runs off her 20 balls, set the tone for the Originals in their first non-rain affected fixture following two no results last week.
Phoenix dug in to see out a powerplay in which they scored just 25 runs for no loss, with boundaries hard to come by early on in the innings.
It was Ecclestone who eventually got the breakthrough, getting the wicket of her opposite number Eve Jones stumped for 18.
The 24-year old struck again not long after, collecting the wickets of Sophie Devine, Erin Burns and Emily Arlott in a stellar performance with the ball.
But she was outshone by her fellow spinner Morris, who skittled the Phoenix batting line-up with her remarkable figures coming from just 16 deliveries. The West Midlands outfit were left stunned, with a string of single-digit scores not enough to seriously test the hosts.
It was not all plain sailing for the Originals though, as they saw opener Emma Lamb caught behind off the first ball of the innings.
An anchoring partnership of Laura Wolvaardt and Ami Campbell, who scored 38 and 28 respectively, set the home side up to grab victory by five wickets with a ball to spare.
It finally fell to Kathryn Bryce to secure the win with a boundary through point from the penultimate delivery of the innings, after Phoenix fought back with neat bowling performances from Tess Flintoff and Katie Levick, who combined to take three for 22.
The result means that Originals move up to third in the table, while Phoenix sit in sixth and are still yet to claim a win.
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