Birmingham Phoenix v Welsh Fire women, Edgbaston
Fire beat Phoenix by 36 runs to pick up first win of 2025 season
Result also eliminates Phoenix from contention
Fire 150-3 (100 balls): Dunkley 53 (43), Jonassen 44 (17); Schutt 2-11
Phoenix 114-9 (100 balls): Perry 55 (43); Ismail 3-16
Josh Cobb
Former Northants batter on Radio 5 Sports Extra
The job is not done yet for Welsh Fire but it is looking likely. A new batter on strike is good news for them.
Ellyse Perry needs to put her foot down and take all of it.
Lister c Ismail b Jonassen 4 (Phoenix 100-6)
Jess Jonassen has another one and Welsh Fire are closing in on their first win of the campaign!
Ailsa Lister had to go on the offensive, tries to hit the left-arm spinner over long-on but can't get it over Shabnim Ismail.
Straightforward catch a yard or two off the rope.
Phoenix 100-5
Image source, Getty ImagesEllyse Perry moves to her half-century from 36 balls. She's played superbly but has had no real support, which is why it looks like this knock is going to come in a losing cause.
Phoenix need 51 from 20 balls or they are out of contention for the knockout stages.
Matt Floyd
Test Match Special commentator on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra
Ellyse Perry will have one or two bowlers that she wants to target. Depending on who that is will decide when she will motor.
This format does mean you can be facing 10 balls at a time.
Ffion Wynne
BBC Sport cricket writer on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra
A good flat throw from Alex Griffiths. Hayley Matthews had more time than she thought to hit the stumps.
Need another 56 to win
It's all going on.
New batter Ailsa Lister could - perhaps should - have been run out after turnign for two, only to be sent back by Ellyse Perry.
The throw came in, Lister was well short of her ground but Hayley Matthews, rather casually and clearly not realising how much time she has, flicks it through her legs towards the stumps.
Excellent fielding from Georgia Elwiss on the rope then denies Perry a boundary.
Matt Floyd
Test Match Special commentator on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra
Shabnim Ismail kept her eye on the ball and she was always the favourite to take that. After Sterre Kalis showing some momentum, she is gone.
Ffion Wynne
BBC Sport cricket writer on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra
Welsh Fire's fielding hasn't been brilliant. Shabnim Ismail leads from the front as she so often does.
Did Sterre Kalis need to do that? Probably not.
Kalis c Ismail b Jonassen 15 (Phoenix 91-5)
Image source, Getty ImagesJess Jonassen has the last laugh.
Sterre Kalis wanted to go big again, aiming over the leg side this time but picks out Shabnim Ismail in the deep.
The South African took it well as she ran around the rope to her right.
Ffion Wynne
BBC Sport cricket writer on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra
That is what Sterre Kalis has been searching for her entire innings. She stepped down the pitch and help the pose for good measure.
She loved that one and why not?
Need another 60 to win
Sterre Kalis is definitely here to help!
She steps down and hits straight as an arrow back over Jess Jonassen's head for six.
Such clean hitting.
Need another 66 to win
There is a bit of help from Sterre Kalis.
Short ball from Jonassen and Kalis cuts powerfully for four.
Ffion Wynne
BBC Sport cricket writer on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra
This is where it gets tricky. Ellyse Perry has all the pressure. She is dealing with it well at the moment but she will need Sterre Kalis to help her soon.
Need another 70 to win
Good set from Freya Davies to claw back an element of control for Welsh Fire.
Just four singles from it.
It's two a ball from here for Birmingham Phoenix. Over to you Ellyse Perry...
Ffion Wynne
BBC Sport cricket writer on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra
Ellyse Perry has hit so well in the pocket between cover and mid-on. She has found it perfectly every time.
It feels as though there are only six or seven fielders out there.
Target 151
Ellyse Perry is really feeling it now.
Down the pitch again and another gorgeous lofted drive. Straight back over Georgia Davis' head this time.
Four more to end the set, swept crisply past short fine leg.
Ffion Wynne
BBC Sport cricket writer on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra
A delightful shot from Ellyse Perry. The most aesthetically pleasing shot over cover.
Perfect timing.
Target 151
Chance for another Welsh Fire wicket. Sterre Kalis is drawn in by a lovely floated delivery from Katie Levick, pushes forward and overbalances - but Sarah Boyce can't take it cleanly to complete the stumping.
Will that prove costly?
The only thing Boyce might be relieved about is that it wasn't Ellyse Perry. The Australian is still going strong and elegantly hits up and over extra cover for four to end the set.
Target 151
Halfway through the chase and Welsh Fire are well and truly on top.
It's a must-win game for Birmingham Phoenix and, while Ellyse Perry is still there, they won't be giving up on getting these runs.
Ffion Wynne
BBC Sport cricket writer on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra
Amy Jones always finds unusual ways to get out. I cannot comprehend what she was trying to do there.
Ellyse Jones has got to finish this single-handedly now.
| Batter | Runs | Balls | Dots | 4s | 6s | Minutes | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dunkley,bowled Baker Dunkley, bowled Baker | 53 | 43 | 16 | 6 | 1 | 51 | 123.26 |
Beaumont,bowled Schutt Beaumont, bowled Schutt | 2 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 33.33 |
Matthews,not out Matthews, not out | 34 | 33 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 55 | 103.03 |
Jonassen,caught Kelly, bowled Schutt Jonassen, caught Kelly, bowled Schutt | 44 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 18 | 258.82 |
Elwiss,not out Elwiss, not out | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 100.00 |
Extras, no balls 0, wides 6, byes 5, leg byes 5, total 16 Extras, no balls 0, wides 6, byes 5, leg byes 5, total 16 | |||||||
Total,150 for 3 100 balls Total,150 for 3 100 balls |
| Bowler | Balls | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Dots | No balls | Wides | 4s | 6s | Economy rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Schutt | 20 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3.30 |
Perry | 10 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 14.40 |
Taylor | 20 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 10.20 |
Voll | 20 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5.10 |
Baker | 20 | 0 | 39 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 11.70 |
Lamb | 10 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9.00 |
| Fall of wicket | Batter |
|---|---|
28 for 1 (21 balls) | Beaumont |
99 for 2 (72 balls) | Dunkley |
149 for 3 (98 balls) | Jonassen |
| Batter | Runs | Balls | Dots | 4s | 6s | Minutes | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Voll,bowled Jonassen Voll, bowled Jonassen | 29 | 18 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 33 | 161.11 |
Lamb,bowled Ismail Lamb, bowled Ismail | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.00 |
Kelly,leg before wicket, bowled Ismail Kelly, leg before wicket, bowled Ismail | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.00 |
Perry,caught Elwiss, bowled Ismail Perry, caught Elwiss, bowled Ismail | 55 | 43 | 17 | 7 | 1 | 61 | 127.91 |
Jones,bowled Matthews Jones, bowled Matthews | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 |
Kalis,caught Ismail, bowled Jonassen Kalis, caught Ismail, bowled Jonassen | 15 | 16 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 93.75 |
Lister,caught Ismail, bowled Jonassen Lister, caught Ismail, bowled Jonassen | 4 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 57.14 |
Schutt,caught Dunkley, bowled Matthews Schutt, caught Dunkley, bowled Matthews | 3 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 60.00 |
Taylor,bowled Matthews Taylor, bowled Matthews | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 66.67 |
Ellis,not out Ellis, not out | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 100.00 |
Baker,not out Baker, not out | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 100.00 |
Extras, no balls 0, wides 2, byes 0, leg byes 1, total 3 Extras, no balls 0, wides 2, byes 0, leg byes 1, total 3 | |||||||
Total,114 for 9 100 balls Total,114 for 9 100 balls |
| Bowler | Balls | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Dots | No balls | Wides | 4s | 6s | Economy rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ismail | 20 | 1 | 16 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4.80 |
Davies | 20 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5.70 |
Jonassen | 20 | 1 | 24 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7.20 |
Matthews | 20 | 0 | 21 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6.30 |
Levick | 10 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7.80 |
Davis | 10 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 12.00 |
| Fall of wicket | Batter |
|---|---|
5 for 1 (4 balls) | Lamb |
5 for 2 (6 balls) | Kelly |
61 for 3 (45 balls) | Voll |
61 for 4 (46 balls) | Jones |
91 for 5 (70 balls) | Kalis |
100 for 6 (82 balls) | Lister |
108 for 7 (92 balls) | Perry |
111 for 8 (96 balls) | Schutt |
112 for 9 (98 balls) | Taylor |
