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

    Welsh Fire will be glad to see the back of Liam Livingstone. They have the opportunity to squeeze a few wickets now and stamp their authority on the game.

  2. Phoenix 82-4

    Louis Kimber is the new batter and gets off the mark with a boundary, going back and cutting Chris Green through point for four.

    Only six from the set, though, as Welsh Fire look to drag Phoenix back.

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

    That is a massive wicket. Brave bowling from Ajeet Singh Dale, he just dragged his length back ever so slightly.

    It takes courage to do that as a bowler.

  4. wicket

    WICKET

    Livingstone c Bairstow b Singh Dale 16 (Phoenix 76-4)

    Ajeet Singh Dale strikes next ball!

    The seamer drags his length back slightly, Liam Livingstone tries to repeat the shot from the previous ball and feathers it behind to Jonny Bairstow.

    Great response from Singh Dale after a very sticky start but disappointment for the Edgbaston crowd - they were enjoying that big-hitting from the Phoenix skipper.

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

    Liam Livingstone can hit some almighty sixes. If I was Ajeet Singh Dale, I would be taking some pace off the ball.

  6. 6 runs

    Phoenix 76-3

    Even bigger from Liam Livingstone - he's hit it onto the roof of the Hollies Stand!

    Wow, that's gone 99m.

    Full, on the pads and just picked up over the leg side for a massive six.

  7. Phoenix 69-3

    Smoked!

    Wide half-volley from Ajeet Singh Dale and Jacob Bethell nails it over extra cover for four.

    You can't strike a ball much cleaner than that.

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

    There aren't as many batters who can hit the ball as hard as Liam Livingstone. A terrible ball from Saif Zaib, it was crying out to be hit for six.

  9. 6 runs

    Phoenix 65-3

    That's enormous from Liam Livingstone!

    Another full toss from Saif Zaib and Livingstone demolishes it - high over the leg side and a long way back into the crowd.

    Zaib battles back well again, though. Just a single from the next four balls. Jacob Bethell, soon to be England captain Jacob Bethell, is the new batter.

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

    Will Smeed was forced to hit to the longest part of the ground. You could see by his reaction how frustrated he was.

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

    Would you believe it? Two very soft dismissals. That went straight to the fielder's hands.

  12. wicket

    WICKET

    Smeed c Kellaway b Green (Phoenix 58-3)

    Whipped from Will Smeed - straight to the fielder at deep mid-wicket.

    No foot movement from Smeed, just quick hands and brilliant timing to get hold of Chris Green.

    But he hits it flat and straight into the hands of Ben Kellaway.

    A bit of elevation and that was six. Instead, he has to trudge off.

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

    There has never been any question as to how destructive Liam Livingstone can be in white-ball cricket. It is just down to his consistency in the England side which has let him down.

  14. How's stat?!

    Ashwanth R Kavuluri
    CricViz analyst

    Birmingham Phoenix took 29 balls to reach their team fifty - their fastest of the season.

  15. Phoenix 54-2

    Skipper Liam Livingstone is the new batter for Birmingham Phoenix.

    The firepower keeps coming for the home side. They've done well so far but that second wicket going down means they might have to be a little bit careful for a set or two.

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

    There was a little guilty smile from Ben Kellaway as he took that catch.

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

    Joe Clarke was picking how far he wanted to hit that halfway down the pitch. He is going to sit down in the dressing room and wonder how on earth that ended up with the bowler.

  18. wicket

    WICKET

    Clarke c & b Kellaway 24 (Phoenix 51-2)

    Joe Clarke can't believe what he's just done.

    Off-spinner Ben Kellaway sends down a horrible long hop and Clarke must have been picking which spot in the stands he wanted to send it to.

    But he takes his eye off the ball and sends it straight up. It balloons high into the air and Kellaway is there to take it when it returns to earth.

    The bowler can't believe it either.

  19. How's stat?!

    Ashwanth R Kavuluri
    CricViz analyst

    Ben Duckett's last two seasons on extreme ends of the scale.

    In this year's Hundred, Ben Duckett is averaging 9 with a strike rate of 100—both his lowest in any T20 competition ever (min. five innings).

    In the Hundred 2024, he averaged 67 with a strike rate of 171—both his best in any T20 competition.

  20. Phoenix 50-1

    Good recovery from Saif Zaib, just two from his last four balls and he forces a play and miss from Joe Clarke to end it.