- BATSMENRBM4s6sSR2.1 holes out to deep backward square! Made a beautiful sound off Allen's bat, swinging a leg-stump half-volley into the leg side, but he picked out Phillips and sent it straight down his throat. Milnes strikes first ball, as he did on debut against the Invincibles last week 17/110.5 in the slot, Moeen swings it downtown... straight down Cockbain's throat! Picks out long-on. This was right in his wheelhouse, but he couldn't quite clear the man on the rope 109/216.3 low full toss, wide outside off, and Phillips clings on this time! Running round to his right from deep cover, makes no mistake this time around. 156/318.2 cleaned up! Benjamin skipped down, Payne's low full toss squeezed underneath his bat, and landed on the base of middle stump. 161/418.5 wide on the crease, misses the yorker, but Howell gets a leading edge which drops into Duckett's hands at extra cover on the edge of the ring 167/5Extras11 (lb 3, w 8)TOTAL184/5 (20 Overs, RR: 9.2 per 6 ball)Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Finn Allen, 2.1 ov), 2-109 (Moeen Ali, 10.5 ov), 3-156 (Liam Livingstone, 16.3 ov), 4-161 (Chris Benjamin, 18.2 ov), 5-167 (Benny Howell, 18.5 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ 0s 4s 6s WD NB LJ Fletcher 4 0 21 0 5.25 8 1 1 1 0 DA Payne 4 0 38 3 9.50 6 3 2 1 0 ME Milnes 4 0 41 1 10.25 6 4 2 0 0 Qais Ahmad 4 0 27 0 6.75 5 1 1 0 0 GG White 2 0 40 0 20.00 1 2 4 5 0 JDS Neesham 2 0 14 1 7.00 3 0 1 1 0
Player of the Match
Player of the Match
- BATSMENRBM4s6sSR0.5 pinned in front! That's a laser-guided yorker from Milne, and up goes Steve O'Shaughnessy's finger, though Banton then asks for a review. Don't think this is going to change much. Full, fast and swinging late to hit him right on the front ankle... and Hawk-Eye says it would have demolished leg stump! Milne strikes in his opening set, and Banton slopes off 7/110.3 Cockbain holes out to mid-off! Moeen tosses it up again and this time Cockbain's attempt to go downtown winds up dollying a catch to the edge of the ring. Just sliced across it. Moeen among the wickets now, following his half-century 72/55.2 wobbles one into leg stump with Duckett trying to ramp! Howlin' Benny does it for Phoenix and that might be Fire's best hope heading for the dressing room. Pace off as always, 66mph cutter, I think, and Duckett exposed his stumps looking to use the angle from round the wicket to his advantage. Instead he heard the crash of ash 42/27.1 gives it some air, skewed to cover! Tahir hits back, off he goes... Tossed up and Phillips was stretching for it, ended up slicing a straightforward catch to Moeen in the covers. Phoenix's captain is enjoying himself almost as much as Immy 53/37.5 miscued back over the bowler's head... and Tahir is there to snaffle it! Two in the set for Tahir, and Fire are threatening to go down in flames here! du Plooy swings across the line and gets a tame top edge, simply taken as Tahir circles around 55/412.4 sliced to backward point! Brown gets in on the wicket-taking act, Neesham attempting to put pace on a delivery in the channel, nothing there for him to work with and it plops gently into Milne's hands off the outside half of the bat 88/613.1 swung to leg, finds a fielder in the deep! Everything coming up Butterkist for Phoenix tonight... pace off outside off and White sends a big top edge towards deep square leg, Milne plunging forward to take it just above the ground 89/714.2 big old yahoo and it plops into the hands of mid-off! Tahir claims a third, he's having a good night out there - and why not, when you've got that many on the board to defend? Tossed up, tempts the big shot from his legspinner confrere, straight to Smeed on the edge of the circle 91/814.3 skids on a straight one, hits the front pad! Tim Robinson's fingers goes straight up! Milnes is gone first ball, trapped lbw attempting to paddle his first ball... Tahir goes off on a lap of Birmingham City Centre, he's got four and is now on a hat-trick! 91/914.4 HAT-TRICK!! Bowled 'im neck and crop! Googly through the gate of No. 11, finishes the game in style and then sets off on a victory lap for the ages! Tahir bags a five-for as Fire are doused for 91. Phoenix win by 93 runs, and boy have the home crowd have been treated to a special show tonight! 91/10Extras11 (lb 3, nb 2, w 6)TOTAL91 all out (14.4 Overs, RR: 6.14 per 6 ball)Fall of wickets: 1-7 (Tom Banton, 0.5 ov), 2-42 (Ben Duckett, 5.2 ov), 3-53 (Glenn Phillips, 7.1 ov), 4-55 (Leus du Plooy, 7.5 ov), 5-72 (Ian Cockbain, 10.3 ov), 6-88 (James Neesham, 12.4 ov), 7-89 (Graeme White, 13.1 ov), 8-91 (Qais Ahmad, 14.2 ov), 9-91 (Matt Milnes, 14.3 ov), 10-91 (David Payne, 14.4 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ 0s 4s 6s WD NB AF Milne 2 0 10 1 5.00 8 1 0 1 0 TG Helm 1 0 6 0 6.00 2 1 0 0 0 Imran Tahir 3.4 0 25 5 6.57 10 1 2 0 1 PR Brown 2 0 14 1 7.00 3 2 0 1 0 BAC Howell 4 0 12 2 3.00 11 1 0 0 0 MM Ali 2 0 21 1 10.50 3 1 2 0 0
Match Details
Toss
Welsh Fire (Men) , elected to field first
Player Of The Match
Season
Match days
9 August 2021 - night match (20-over match)
TV Umpires
Reserve Umpire
Match Referee
Points
Birmingham Phoenix (Men) 2, Welsh Fire (Men) 0
Balls per over
5
Match Notes
- Rain: Birmingham Phoenix (Men) - 0/0
- Powerplay 1: Balls 1 - 25 (Mandatory - 35 runs, 1 wicket)
- Birmingham Phoenix (Men): 50 runs in 36 balls, Extras 3
- 2nd Wicket: 50 runs in 30 balls (WCF Smeed 17, MM Ali 31, Ex 2)
- MM Ali: 50 off 23 balls (2 x 4, 5 x 6)
- Birmingham Phoenix (Men): 100 runs in 49 balls, Extras 6
- WCF Smeed: 50 off 29 balls (3 x 4, 3 x 6)
- Birmingham Phoenix (Men): 150 runs in 81 balls, Extras 11
- Innings Break: Birmingham Phoenix (Men) - 184/5 in 100 balls (WCF Smeed 65, MAH Hammond 7)
- Powerplay 1: Balls 1 - 25 (Mandatory - 41 runs, 1 wicket)
- Balls 5: Review by Welsh Fire (Men) (Batting), Umpire - SJ O'Shaughnessy, Batter - T Banton (Struck down)
- Welsh Fire (Men): 50 runs in 35 balls, Extras 10
- Balls 67: Review by Birmingham Phoenix (Men) (Bowling), Umpire - SJ O'Shaughnessy, Batter - LJ Fletcher (Struck down)
- Imran Tahir took a hat-trick with the wickets of 8-91 (Qais Ahmad, 72b), 9-91 (Matt Milnes, 73b), 10-91 (David Payne, 74b)
Match Coverage
All Match NewsWill Smeed 65*, Imran Tahir hat-trick and five-for as Birmingham Phoenix go top
Moeen Ali scores 23-ball fifty as home side rack up records on way to thumping win