Birmingham Phoenix seal first win as Jamie Smith units up thrashing
Birmingham Phoenix 160 for 8 (Smith 60, Moeen 33, Chappell 4-33) beat Oval Invincibles 119 (Whiteley 35, Richardson 4-32) by 41 runs
Birmingham Phoenix turned the Men’s Hundred desk the other way up by thrashing leaders Oval Invincibles by 41 runs at Edgbaston.
Without a victory within the event earlier than tonight, Phoenix needed to win to remain alive within the competitors and responded with a vastly-improved show assisted by the provision of England star Chris Woakes, who made his long-awaited debut.
Phoenix posted 160 for 8 after Jamie Smith‘s high-class 60 off 33 balls lifted them out of early bother. Their new-ball pair Woakes and Adam Milne then started brilliantly, limiting Invincibles to 12 for one from 20 balls.
The guests by no means recovered. They managed 119 to endure their first defeat of the marketing campaign, with an additional blow coming from the lack of batter Jordan Cox, who retired harm in nice ache after being hit on the hand by a rising ball from Milne.
After Phoenix have been put in they at first stuttered in acquainted style as Will Smeed chipped Zak Chappell to additional cowl, Ben Duckett skied a slog-sweep at Nathan Sowter and Liam Livingstone pulled Sowter to lengthy leg the place Heinrich Klaasen made a tough catch look simple.
At 44 for 3 from 35 balls, the innings was wobbling however Smith heaved it into movement by smashing 20 from 4 balls from Sowter and Sunil Narine. Smith and Moeen AIi rebuilt the innings with a stand of 75 in 46 balls earlier than the latter went for an optimistic bye to wicketkeeper Sam Billings and was run out by the direct hit.
Smith heaved Chappell into the palms of Jason Roy at long-off however Dan Mousley, Chris Benjamin and Milne all cleared the ropes to make sure a difficult goal. Less productive was Woakes’ return to Edgbaston with the bat after he hoiked his first ball to deep mid-wicket to change into the ultimate sufferer in Chappell’s 4 for 33.
Woakes was spot on with the ball, although, conceding simply three runs from his first set when Invincibles replied. Milne then struck along with his first ball, which Will Jacks edged to slide, and the Kiwi inflicted a distinct sort of harm along with his sixth which rose into Cox’s hand, forcing him off the sphere.
After Woakes had Klaasen caught at slip, the guests have been 21 for two from 25 balls with one other batter down and clearly in an excessive amount of ache to return. More proof that this was Phoenix’s evening arrived when Roy feathered a reverse-sweep at Benny Howell’s second ball and the ball bounced off wicketkeeper Chris Benjamin’s grille and down into his gloves; Benjamin was solely holding as a result of Smith was off the sphere after sustaining a niggle whereas batting.
Only a flailing miracle might protect Invincibles’ unbeaten document however the center and decrease order flailed in useless in opposition to a Phoenix aspect which can face Southern Brave in Southampton on Wednesday with confidence effectively and really rebooted.
Shadab Khan was lacking for Phoenix by way of sickness and might be changed by Tanveer Sangha for the remainder of the event after leaving on worldwide responsibility.
This was Narine’s remaining recreation of the season for Invincibles, however they’ve a high-class alternative in Adam Zampa and hope that Gus Atkinson and Tom Curran will return from shoulder niggles once they play London Spirit on Tuesday.