Summary

  • Birmingham Phoenix v Welsh Fire men, The Hundred, Edgbaston

  • Fire chase 139 to win by eight wickets remaining with 11 balls to spare

  • Both sides still have slim chance of reaching knockouts but need to win both remaining games and hope results elsewhere go their way

  • Fire 140-2 (89 balls): Smith 47* (36), Eskinazi 42 (29)

  • Phoenix 138-9 (100 balls): Bethell 38 (28); Green 3-27

Livingstone hits roof with six - then dismissed moments later

Live Reporting

by Elizabeth Botcherby & Sam Drury

  1. wicket

    WICKET

    Howell c Payne b Meredith 12 (Phoenix 124-6)

    Ramped by Benny Howell... but brilliantly taken at fine leg by David Payne.

    The Phoenix batted used the pace of Riley Meredith, made a decent connection with the shot but Payne sprinted round and dived to take a very good catch.

    Did Howell know Payne was down there? Risky shot if he did - and it cost him.

  2. Matt Floyd
    Test Match Special commentator on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    That could be the shot of the innings so far! How Jacob Bethell has hit that over long-off I do not know.

  3. 6 runs

    Phoenix 124-5

    Bethell 34, Howell 12

    Full toss and Jacob Bethell smashes it over the leg side and into the stands!

    Six more! Stand and deliver stuff from the left-hander. Middled high and handsome over long off.

    After a four from Benny Howell to start it, that is an expensive five balls from David Payne.

  4. Ffion Wynne
    BBC Sport cricket writer on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    That was a brilliant effort from Ben Kellaway. The ball was in the air for a long time and it was a brave effort because it could have bounced anywhere.

  5. dropped catch

    Bethell dropped on 21

    Phoenix 106-5

    Brilliant diving effort from Ben Kellaway in the deep, running in off the boundary but he can't quite cling on.

    Jacob Bethell had decided he needed to try and go big but didn't get all of it.

    The ball looped high into the leg side and Kellaway so nearly held on to a fantastic grab. Instead, it goes down as a drop...

  6. Ffion Wynne
    BBC Sport cricket writer on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Birmingham Phoenix need to look at going at two runs a ball. Jacob Bethell will know that he needs to get the strike rate up, but he cannot afford to get out.

    It's about that risk-reward balance.

  7. Phoenix 104-5

    As seems to have been the way after every six from Birmingham Phoenix, the Welsh Fire bowler drags it back with not much happening in the next few.

    Just three singles from Chris Green's next four.

    Phoenix have 20 balls left in the innings and they need to get a move on...

  8. Ffion Wynne
    BBC Sport cricket writer on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Finally someone tries to take on the spinner and doesn't pick out the fielder. Jacob Bethell is getting going after a stodgy start.

  9. 6 runs

    Phoenix 101-5

    Jacob Bethell gets hold of one!

    Heaved down the ground and long enough to clear the rope.

    Not the most elegant shot but he wanted to get after Chris Green and the outcome is what he was after.

  10. Not out

    Phoenix 95-5

    It took a while but it's is finally confirmed to be not out.

    I'm not sure why it took as long as it did, there were a plethora of reasons why it wasn't out.

    Pitched outside leg for a start and it was also missing leg by a long way.

  11. Ffion Wynne
    BBC Sport cricket writer on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    I will be surprised if this does not get sent for a review. You have to review if it is Jacob Bethell.

  12. Fire review

    Phoenix 95-5

    Ben Kellaway hits Jacob Bethell on the back leg. Is that lbw?

    The umpire says no but Welsh Fire send it upstairs.

  13. Josh Cobb
    Former Northants batter on Radio 5 Sports Extra

    This time-out is a chance to discuss things that the batters may have not have thought of and come up with a new tactic as to how to finish the innings.

  14. Phoenix 92-5

    Strategic timeout taken with Welsh Fire in a great position.

    What can Jacob Bethell and Benny Howell do from here. Can Phoenix get up to 140-plus?

  15. How's stat?!

    Ashwanth R Kavuluri
    CricViz analyst

    Ajeet Singh Dale has been the most expensive bowler in this year's Hundred, going at 11.9 runs per set.

  16. Phoenix 88-5

    Benny Howell is out to join Jacob Bethell with Birmingham Phoenix needing to rebuild at the same time as getting themselves up to a competitive total.

    Not an easy balance to strike.

  17. I'll be honest, just prior to that wicket, I was slightly distracted from what is going on on the pitch because the TV panned to a man in the crowd with the most remarkable moustache.

    Growing out from the corner of the mouth and long enough to be moulded into a big loop on either side to take it back to where it started.

    Incredible stuff.

  18. Daniel Norcross
    Test Match Special commentator on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Chris Green is a very safe pair of hands. The Birmingham Phoenix innings is danger of fizzling out now.

  19. Josh Cobb
    Former Northants batter on Radio 5 Sports Extra

    That was another back of the length ball and another one that is a disappointing outcome. Phoenix need a little bit of a rebuild now.

  20. wicket

    WICKET

    Kimber c Green b Kellaway 6 (Phoenix 85-5)

    Ben Kellaway has his second!

    Into the pitch against from the off-spinner, Louis Kimber tries to hammer it high over the leg side and sends it a long way up - but not far enough.

    Chris Green is the fielder in the deep and steadies himself before taking the catch. Trouble for Phoenix.