Birmingham Phoenix vs Northern Superchargers at Edgbaston on 19 August (15h30)
A record crowd (13,087) turned-out to see women’s cricket played at Edgbaston; the eleventh women’s match of ‘The Hundred.’ After the match, Charles Dagnall interviewed match hero, Australian Sophie Molineux (POTM). Bowling for Phoenix, she ‘held her nerve’ in front of the home crowd by ‘controlling her breathing.’ When batting, she decided to ‘whack a couple’ (of balls) to ‘kick on’ (advance the score.) Even before Molineux bowled her first ball, commentators remained doubtful whether Superchargers would come anywhere near the 150 mark, without India’s Jemimah Rodrigues.
Commentators said that Sophie Molineux had one of the fastest strike rates, hitting 24 runs from 13 balls. By comparison, her skipper Sophie Devine (NZ), hit 19 runs from 11 balls. As ‘pick of the bowlers’ Molineux’s first ten balls were ‘dot’ balls. She took 2/11 from 20 balls. With such a narrow margin between both teams, Molineux made the biggest impact for the winning side. Match was broadcast via SKY Sports YouTube channel – please see below – with commentators: Charles Dagnall, Lydia Greenway, Nasser Hussain, Lisa Sthalekar (Australia); with guests Ravi Shastri (India) and Tammy Beaumont. Also BBC 5LSX, ESPN-cric-info and other social media. Weather was cooler, sunny with high cloud with mainly blue sky overhead 16-20C.
Phoenix Innings
*Skipper with an unchanged side, Sophie Devine 19(11) set the pace until caught by Laura Wolvaardt, from Alice Davidson-Richards. *After 25 balls power play, Phoenix were 39/1. *Legendary Joneses partnership added 67 runs. Approaching mid-way, seam bowler Beth Langston lost her footing pulled-up and laid on her back until help arrived. *Umpires called a strategic time-out for drinks, whilst Langston was helped from the field. *Skipper Armitage bowled the 49th ball when play resumed. *At mid-way, Phoenix were 77/1. *Commentators said Langston was ‘up-and-about’ but she was later seen on crutches. *Eve Jones 34(30) failed to middle her bat and was caught by Bess Heath from Katie Levick. *Shortly afterward Amy Jones 48(27) was caught from a leading-edge by Gaby Lewis from Alice Davidson-Richards. *A third partnership between Australian internationals Sophie Molineux 24(13) and Ellyse Perry 22*(17) kept the average strike rate a whisker above 150 (1.53 runs-per-ball.) *Sophie Molineux brought-up 150 for Phoenix, hitting Alice Davidson-Richards for ’six,’ with five balls remaining.*Finally, Molineux ‘played-on’ when attempting to ‘slog-sweep’ Alice Davidson-Richards’ during the final death-over.
Superchargers’ innings
*Skipper Hollie Armitage said Gaby Lewis (Ireland) was playing. *Nasser Hussain told viewers that Jemimah Rodrigues’ absence was a ‘massive blow.’ *Drama struck straight away when POTM match hero Australia’s Sophie Molineux (Commonwealth Games gold medallist) bowled ten consecutive ’dot’ balls in each of her two-sets-of-five balls, stemming Superchargers’ strike-rate during the power play. *After 25 balls, Superchargers were 40/0 (vs 39/1.) *Gaby Lewis 16(19) and Australia’s Alyssa Healy 46(28) first-wicket partnership banked 68 runs before Healy was stumped by Amy Jones from Sophie Molineux (2/11.) *Three balls later, Ireland’s Gaby Lewis 16(19) was caught by Sophie Devine, from Abtaha Maqsood (1/20). *At mid-way, Superchargers were 71/2 (vs 77/1.) *South Africa’s Laura Wolvarrdt and Bess Heath (4) scampered ‘ones’ and ‘twos’ until Bess Heath 4 went ‘leg before’ to Emily Arlott.
*Skipper Hollie Armitage 31(19) ‘played a brilliant little innings.’ *Emily Arlott dived, bruising her shoulder attempting to save ‘four,’ from Armitage (ball no.74.) *South African Laura Wolvaardt 32(24) and skipper Armitage 31(19) partnership added 53 runs in 32 balls. *Match came to a climax with Superchargers needing to score 27 runs from ten balls. Laura Wolvaardt hit Sophie Molineux’s first ball for ’six,’ but was caught next ball at deep mid-wicket by Ellyse Perry. *Hollie Armitage went for a carbon copy-dismissal, caught at deep mid-wicket by Ellyse Perry, this time from Georgia Elwiss. *Finally, World Cup veteran Jenny Gunn did well to hit 12 runs from Elwiss’ death over, conceding by 5 runs.
Summary
*Both teams were level-pegging for the first half of the match, despite Sophie Molineux bowling ten dot ‘power play’ balls. Australians Molineux and Ellyse Perry staged a match-winning batting partnership. *Superchargers’ run chase was ‘closed down’ by Phoenix tight bowling to contain batters and keep the visitor’s average strike rate below 150. Phoenix wafer-thin win sends them to equal-top-of-the table with three wins and maximum points with Brave. Neither team (Phoenix or Brave) are booked to play each other during the group stage. Commentators added that arose from women playing six group stage matches (because of the Commonwealth Games), whereas the men played eight.
Birmingham Phoenix Women 153/4 beat Northern Superchargers Women 148/5; by 5 runs
Birmingham Phoenix batting 153/4:(100 balls 1.53 runs-per-ball): Amy Jones 48(28), Eve Jones 34(30), Sophie Molineux 24(13), Ellyse Perry 22*(17), Sophie Devine 19(11); Northern Superchargers bowling: Alice Davidson-Richards 3/20, Katie Levick 1/14; Fow 1-34, 2-104, 3-110, 4-150.
Northern Superchargers batting 148/5:(target 154 from 100 balls; 1.48 runs-per-ball) Alyssa Healy 46(28), Laura Wolvaardt 32(24), Hollie Armitage 31(19), Gaby Lewis 16(19), Jenny Gunn 12*(4); Birmingham Phoenix bowling: Sophie Molineux 2/11, Abtaha Maqsood 1/20, Emily Arlott 1/30, Georgia Elwiss 1/40; Fow 1-68, 2-69, 3-80, 4-133, 5-136.
Scorecard & Statistics at URL: https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/the-hundred-women-s-competition-2022-1299144/birmingham-phoenix-women-vs-northern-superchargers-women-11th-match-1299155/full-scorecard
Match highlights free-to-air from SKY Sports YouTube [06m41] at URL https://www.skysports.com/the-hundred/video/36891/12676893/birmingham-phoenix-lead-the-series-after-clinching-win-over-northern-superchargers
Match video free-to-air from SKY Sports YouTube [31m55/03h28m50s] at URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdKP6_7OpNw
