Birmingham Phoenix Secure Spot in The Hundred Eliminator with Rain-Shortened 9 Wickets Victory
Birmingham Phoenix defeated Manchester Originals by nine wickets and advanced to The Hundred 2024 Eliminator in a rain-affected 30-ball match at Edgbaston.
With the victory, Oval Invincibles are guaranteed a spot in the Lord’s final and will face Southern Brave at The Kia Oval.
Key Performances and Match Results
Manchester Originals 41 for 5 (Milne 2-8) lost to Birmingham Phoenix 42 for 1 (Duckett 22*) by nine wickets.
Following a nine-wicket victory against Manchester Originals, Birmingham Phoenix will take on Southern Brave in The Hundred Eliminator at The Kia Oval on Saturday.
After rain postponed the start, Moeen Ali’s team prevailed in a 30-ball-per-side encounter at Edgbaston, earning themselves the necessary point. With Fazalhaq Farooqi hitting the boundary twice in the first five balls, Jamie Smith set the tone for Phoenix’s easy chase of their target of 42 runs.
Ben Duckett struck six off Tom Aspinwall’s opening ball after Farooqi had played a more subdued second five. As the rain continued to pour in Birmingham, the umpires remained in place, intent on seeing the match through to the end.
Sikandar Raza caught Smith (14) on the cover boundary off Scott Currie, but Duckett (22*) and Moeen (6*) scored the final seven runs needed with eight balls remaining. The captain then wrapped up the victory with a six off Currie over fine-leg.
After winning the toss and choosing to bowl first, Birmingham Phoenix struck quickly. The young Lancastrian Matthew Hurst missed a chance to be bowled to Liam Livingstone at mid-on in the second legal ball of the match, and Kiwi speedster Adam Milne removed him.
After winning the second set, Phil Salt quickly smashed Tim Southee, Milne’s countryman, into the bleachers. The Originals increased their lead to 15 for 1 when Max Holden sliced him over short-third on the last ball of the powerplay.
The Originals were down 22 for 2 at halftime of the innings after Salt (12) misplayed a cross-bat shot off Milne on the 15th delivery of the innings, giving Livingstone his second catch of the night.
Paul Walter (1) was then caught at deep cover by Sean Abbott, making it 24 for 3. Holden(15) kept up his aggressive swing, top-edging Southee for another boundary, but his success was short-lived as he failed to cross mid-off as Livingstone held onto a third catch.
Originals finished at 41 for 5, having struck just one six during their innings. Chris Wood closed off the innings, surrendering just three runs and getting the wicket of Raza, who was caught by Jacob Bethell at deep midwicket.
Phoenix easily overcame their 42-point deficit to secure a ticket to South London, guaranteeing that Andrew Flintoff’s debut season as head coach of the Northern Superchargers would conclude in fourth place.
“To come out of the shortened game and into The Hundred Eliminator is very good for us,” stated Meerkat Match Hero Milne, who finished with a 2 for 8.
Although it was good to use the swing and seam early on in these shortened games, anything may happen, so you just have to mix things up.
It’s good when it moves off the straightaway. There has been much discussion, but as a bowler, it’s wonderful to occasionally see a little swing and seam because in these shorter formats, there can be flat wickets with little movement.”
