"That is outstanding"- Heath's
"brilliant"catch maintains Rockets dominance
The Hundred women's competition, Edgbaston
Birmingham Phoenix were bowled out for just 64 by Trent Rockets as the bowler-dominated start to The Hundred continued at Edgbaston. Ellyse Perry played a lone hand with her 39 as no other batter made it to double figures in a dire performance.
It was the joint second-lowest total in the Women's Hundred, and Phoenix also hold the record for the lowest when they were skittled for 54 against Northern Superchargers (now Sunrisers Leeds) in 2024. Oval Invincibles (now MI London) also made 64 against Superchargers in the same year.
Debutant Samantha Bates - an uncapped Australian spinner - was the pick of Rockets' bowlers with 3-10 while seamer Georgia Elwiss took 3-13. On another bowler-friendly surface, Australia's Kim Garth also bowled a miserly spell of 2-5 and leg-spinner Katie Levick took 1-8.
England batter Sophia Dunkley dominated the chase with 43 from 17 balls as it took Rockets just 31 balls to reach their target to complete a thoroughly one-sided contest.
It has been a struggle for batters in all four matches so far. London Spirit were bowled out for 80 in their first match on Thursday while the highest total has been Southern Brave's 126, which they successfully defended against Welsh Fire.
Rockets' only blemish was Ash Gardner's drop of Perry on nine, which would likely have resulted in even more humiliation for Phoenix as their captain was the only one to prove that the pitch was not a complete mystery.
How did Phoenix collapse?
Phoenix suffered a shambolic collapse in a horror start to The Hundred that continues a difficult few years for the side. Since 2023, they have finished bottom of the table and then seventh twice.
After the auction earlier this year, they strengthened their batting and though the conditions suited the bowlers and it was a good toss for Rockets to win, it was not a 64 all out pitch.
Davina Perrin - last year's breakout star - and Tammy Beaumont form the new opening partnership but Perrin was bowled by Elwiss for two off 10 balls and Beaumont chased a wide-ish delivery from Garth and was caught at point for a duck.
Those early wickets allowed Bates, a new name to The Hundred but with 139 matches to her name in Australia's WBBL, to settle into a nerveless spell.
Alice Capsey, another England player, was bowled missing an ambitious sweep, South Africa's Annerie Dercksen edged behind off a ball that did turn and Jemima Spence inexplicably tried a ramp and was caught at short fine leg.
Perry could only watch the chaos unfold at the other end as she desperately tried to revive the innings, whacking two fours and two sixes in her knock, but her team-mates had no answers to Rockets' consistency.
Dunkley, who has found herself in and out of England's T20 World Cup side, added further embarrassment to poor Phoenix as she made the pitch look like a road and clubbed eight fours and a six to start Rockets' campaign in style with a record-breaking chase in terms of fewest balls faced to complete vicotory.
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What is happening on Saturday?
Saturday is the first day where four matches are taking place.
Sunrisers Leeds take on Southern Brave in the first women's match at 11:00 BST followed by the men at 14:30.
Welsh Fire and MI London also play at 14:30 in the women's competition with the men playing at 18:00.
You can follow ball-by-ball commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, and the website and app.
Key Facts
- Birmingham Phoenix were bowled out for 64 in 95 balls, with Ellyse Perry top-scoring on 39.
- Trent Rockets reached 68-1 in 31 balls, with Sophia Dunkley making 43 not out from 17 balls.
- Samantha Bates took 3-10 on debut for Rockets, while Georgia Elwiss took 3-13.
- The result continued a low-scoring start to The Hundred, with London Spirit all out for 80 and Southern Brave's 126 the highest total so far.
- Saturday features four matches, including Sunrisers Leeds v Southern Brave and Welsh Fire v MI London.
