Summary

  • Benjamin hits 24 off 15 to see Birmingham home

  • 22-year-old only made professional debut five days ago

  • Crawley strokes 64 off 40 balls in London's 144-6

  • Two wickets apiece for Milne, Helm & Howell

Live Reporting

Kal Sajad and Ffion Wynne

  1. Spirit 40-2

    Back to back boundaries from Zak Crawley - he looks to be targeting Benny Howell, the bowler.

  2. Spirit 31-2

    Now then ... England's World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan comes out to bat. He hasn't been in great form this summer, but Phoenix will want his wicket sharpish because if he gets settled, the ball will be flying to all parts.

    Crawley dabs another four off Helm to move the score along.

  3. New batter: Eoin Morgan

    Eoin MorganGetty Images

  4. Heather Knight
    England captain on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    A little bit of extra bounce. The wicket is a hybrid wicket, which means every fourth blade of grass is artificial which makes the bounce a little bit more.

  5. wicket

    WICKET

    Lawrence c Howell b Helm 6 (Spirit 26-2)

    Six ... and out. Lawrence goes for another big heave, but it goes very high and Benny Howell takes the catch. Those catches look easy, but they never are when they've gone that far in the air.

  6. Aatif Nawaz
    BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra commentator

    What a shot that was from Dan Lawrence. London Spirit are flying here.

  7. Spirit 26-1

    Welcome to the game, Dan Lawrence! He comes down the pitch and drills Tom Helm for six. That was glorious.

  8. New batter: Dan Lawrence

    Dan LawrenceBBC Sport

  9. Isabelle Westbury
    Ex-Middlesex captain on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    That is a pretty big wicket because Inglis can be quite explosive.

  10. Aatif Nawaz
    BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra commentator

    A terrific catch, running back. Birmingham have their first blow.

  11. wicket

    WICKET

    Inglis c Moeen b Milne 10 (Spirit 20-1)

    Maybe not. It was quick again from Milne and Josh Inglis tries to go for another six, but Moeen Ali jogs round easily to take the catch.

  12. Aatif Nawaz
    BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra commentator

    That is a gorgeous shot, he just leaned on it.

  13. Spirit 20-0

    Is Josh Inglis just finding his groove? He carves Milne's next ball for another boundary.

  14. Isabelle Westbury
    Ex-Middlesex captain on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    That is what you call in the slot. A big swish of the bat and he connected with the middle. He made full use of his height.

  15. 6 runs

    Spirit 16-0

    That's more like it! Zak Crawley thumps the ball into the stands with some authority.

    And absolute scenes in the crowd as a guy drops the ball - to be fair, he was going one handed in order to protect his pint in the other hand. Total respect if he'd held on.

  16. Spirit 9-0

    The first boundary comes from the inside edge of Josh Inglis' bat. Neither batter is looking comfortable yet.

  17. Isabelle Westbury
    Ex-Middlesex captain on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    Interesting period here because Birmingham could have retained Milne for another five deliveries, he's bowled pretty well. But Moeen is obviously a man with a plan.

  18. Spirit 5-0

    Well that was an eventful start! Plays and misses, 90mph bowling, a dropped catch and a couple of singles.

  19. Aatif Nawaz
    BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra commentator

    So close! The whole crowd was celebrating, they thought it was out.

  20. dropped catch

    Inglis dropped on 0

    How costly could that be?! It's quick from Milne, he's reaching 90mph already. Inglis edges it behind but wicketkeeper Chris Cooke spills it.

    Should've been taken, assuming it carried.