Southern Brave triumphed over Birmingham Phoenix at Edgbaston to go top of the table in The Hundred men’s competition, while Jonny Bairstow edged out his long-time team-mate Joe Root in the battle of the England stars.
Brave posted 169-2, the second highest score of the season to date, and that ended up being enough to win the match despite an electric innings from Phoenix’s Ben Duckett, who scored more than two thirds of his side’s runs.
After Phoenix captain Moeen Ali had won the toss and opted to bowl, James Vince and Alex Davies got the visitors off to a solid start, scoring 31 off the powerplay and then putting the hammer down to get to 81 off 45 balls after one Sean Abbott set of five went for 22.
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Duckett reached 92 in the highest individual total of The Hundred 2024 so far
Davies was caught by Jacob Bethell off Benny Howell and Leus du Plooy could only muster nine from nine before he was also caught by Bethell.
But from then on Vince and Kieron Pollard set about the bowling, with Vince scoring this season’s highest score – until Duckett went past it later – of 90no from 47 balls with six fours and six sixes, and Pollard crashing 38no from 22.
None of the bowlers escaped punishment, Moeen’s 10 from 10 the most economical return.
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Jacob Bethell’s superb dive ended a strong Alex Davies, James Vince partnership
In reply, it looked like Duckett had designs on winning the game on his own, racing to a 21-ball half-century as Phoenix reached 92-1 from 49 balls and the match was absolutely in the balance.
But ignited by a tight Chris Jordan set which accounted for Liam Livingstone, Brave took five wickets for five runs in 18 balls to effectively seal the match, their stellar attack of Jordan, Craig Overton, Jofra Archer, Akeal Hosein and
Tymal Mills proving just too good.
While Duckett hit eight fours and five sixes in his 92, the rest of the side hit just four fours between them.
Player of the match: James Vince
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Vince smashed a superb 90 from 47 balls in The Hundred
“It’s a fantastic group of players and people are performing at the right times.”
Bairstow edges out team-mate Root
Jonny Bairstow’s 45-ball 55 proved to be the standout knock of the game
Bairstow edged out Root in the battle of the England and Yorkshire team-mates as Welsh Fire beat Trent Rockets in a thrilling encounter at a raucous Trent Bridge.
Rockets appeared to be favourites for most of the match until the final dramatic moments, when a series of brilliant outfield catches by Fire flipped the game in their favour. David Payne and Haris Rauf then delivered a nerveless final set to clinch the win by four runs.
The spectacular finale saw four wickets fall in the final 10 balls, with Rashid Khan – the first of the four to fall – becoming the second Rockets batter to be run out after Root had earlier been dismissed in slapstick fashion for 17, via a brilliant throw from Joe Clarke at backward point.
Sam Hain was involved in both mix-ups, and although he remained unbeaten at the death, his 26-ball 22 was not enough to get the job done.
With Fire asked to bat first, Bairstow was the most fluent of all the batters on show, his 45-ball 55 proving to be the standout knock of a game in which the spinners held sway.
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Joe Root left the field visibly angry after a miscommunication led to him being run out
His contest with Root, who bowled a series of round-arm off-breaks from around the wicket, going for just 19 runs from his 20-ball quota, was one of numerous subplots as Fire fought for every run they could scavenge on a pitch taking appreciable spin.
Their 129-6 represented a fighting score, but with Root going nicely in reply after a brisk start from Alex Hales and Tom Banton, Rockets looked to be in control. A win would have taken them top of the table; instead, due to that extraordinary comeback, Fire have roared back into the mix.
Player of the match: Jonny Bairstow
“We’ve had a couple of close ones, it’s that kind of competition, and it’s bringing out different qualities in different players, especially the way our bowlers closed the game out, and the way that Abes [Tom Abell] captained – being brave at times when he needed to be.
“In the field if you can get two run outs, it’s always pretty handy. It’s two wickets that the bowlers don’t have to get, and the fielding was exemplary from all the boys. We’ve had a couple of defeats but nobody’s got too downbeat, everyone’s stayed pretty level, and we’ve spoken about going out and relishing he challenge.”
On his contest with his great friend, Root: “He bottled it didn’t he! He didn’t even chuck one up! I said to him before he came on, ‘It’s me or you here’ and next thing I see he’s bowling lower than Malinga!”
What’s next?
The Hundred continues with four matches on Sunday. London Spirit and Oval Invincibles women get the day started at 11am followed by the men at 2.30pm, with both matches live on Sky Sports Cricket.
Northern Superchargers and Manchester Originals women clash at 2.30pm on Sky Sports Mix as well, followed by the men on Sky Sports Cricket at 6pm. Stream The Hundred and more sport with NOW.