Women’s Hundred 2024 Match 13: Birmingham Phoenix vs Southern Brave Match Report
It was an absolute thriller of a contest at Edgbaston, as the Birmingham Phoenix Women made a clinical passage at home to register a 16-run win over Southern Brave Women in the 13th match of The Women’s Hundred Competition. The Phoenix, batting first, posted 137 for 7, with an outstanding fifty by Amy Jones, who made some serious contributions behind the wickets with her six catches, thus declaring her the Player of the Match.
Poor batting early on from the Birmingham Phoenix saw them lose Sophie Devine and Sterre Kalis early in their innings. Devine fell lbw to Tilly Corteen-Coleman for 6, and Sterre Kalis was stumped off the same bowler for 14. Ellyse Perry chipped in with 14 before being caught Georgia Adams off the bowling of Freya Kemp.
However, it was Amy Jones who anchored the innings with a fine 51 off 36 balls, featuring eight boundaries. Her knock provided much-needed stability and momentum to the Phoenix innings. Emily Arlott’s quickfire 22 off 12 balls in the latter stages ensured Phoenix reached a challenging total.
In response, Southern Brave started their chase confidently with Smriti Mandhana and Danni Wyatt at the crease. However, Mandhana’s explosive start, scoring 15 off 8 balls, was brought to an end by Perry. Perry then struck twice more in quick succession, removing Maia Bouchier for a duck and Georgia Adams for 2, leaving the Brave reeling at 21 for 3. Wyatt and Kemp did rebuild with a 68-run partnership, but once Kemp was caught by Jones off Charis Pavely for 23, it began to unravel.
Danni Wyatt’s exit for a well-compiled 43 off 33 balls, courtesy of Hannah Baker, was the first blow. The Brave never found another partnership of note as Phoenix’s bowlers retained the squeeze on them. Pavely, whose figures read 3 for 21, and Perry, who ended up with similar figures—3 for 21 also—did the damage to the Brave middle and lower order. The incisive spell was added to by the vital wickets taken by Emily Arlott and Katie Levick into the chase, already being strangled.
Southern Brave were eventually bowled out for 121 in 97 balls, falling 16 runs short of the target. The main standout performance in this game was that of Amy Jones: brilliant with the bat, behind the stumps, and with her glovework—taking six catches and playing that pivotal half-century which turned out to be the difference maker in Phoenix’s victory. That should augur well for the prospects of Birmingham Phoenix going forward in the tournament, showing their resilience and depth.
Women’s Hundred 2024 Match 14: Trent Rockets vs Welsh Fire Match Report
In a thrilling encounter at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, Welsh Fire (Women) edged out Trent Rockets (Women) by six wickets, securing victory with just two balls to spare in the 14th match of The Women’s Hundred Competition. Welsh Fire’s Sarah Bryce was named Player of the Match for her match-winning unbeaten 51 off 39 balls.
Trent Rockets, opting to bat first, struggled initially with Freya Davies and Beth Langston striking early blows. Bryony Smith and Grace Scrivens were dismissed for ducks, leaving the Rockets at a precarious 0 for 2. Natasha Wraith steadied the innings with a composed 28 off 24 balls, but it was the partnership between captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and Ashleigh Gardner that provided momentum. Sciver-Brunt scored a brisk 37 off 26 balls, including three boundaries, while Gardner contributed 31 off 26 balls.
Heather Graham’s unbeaten 27 off 18 balls in the latter stages, supported by Alana King, who remained not out on 4, helped the Rockets reach a respectable total of 130 for 5 in their allotted 100 balls. Jess Jonassen was the pick of the bowlers for Welsh Fire, taking 2 for 29, while Davies, Langston, and Georgia Davis chipped in with a wicket each.
Chasing 131, Welsh Fire got off to a shaky start. Sophia Dunkley fell early to Alexa Stonehouse for 4, and captain Tammy Beaumont was trapped lbw by Sciver-Brunt for a duck. Hayley Matthews attempted to stabilize the innings with a quickfire 20 off 14 balls before also falling to Sciver-Brunt.
The key partnership came between Sarah Bryce and Jess Jonassen, who added 38 runs for the fourth wicket. Jonassen scored 26 off 22 balls before being caught by Smith off Heather Graham. Bryce, however, remained steadfast, constructing her innings meticulously. Her 51 not out included three boundaries and a six, guiding Welsh Fire towards the target.
Georgia Elwiss provided crucial support in the final overs, scoring an unbeaten 18 off 15 balls. With the pressure mounting and the match hanging in the balance, Bryce and Elwiss displayed remarkable composure, inching closer to the target. Welsh Fire needed 16 runs off the last 10 balls, but Bryce’s experience shone through as she navigated the chase expertly.
With two balls remaining and six runs required, Bryce finished the match in style, ensuring Welsh Fire’s victory with a boundary. The win lifted Welsh Fire’s spirits and standings in the competition, while Trent Rockets were left to ponder missed opportunities.
