Summary

  • Phoenix win in front of sell-out crowd to go top of the table

  • Tahir - oldest player in tournament - takes hat-trick with final three deliveries of the match

  • Moeen hammers 23-ball half-century; competition's second fastest

  • Smeed - the youngest player in men's Hundred - also strikes fast half-century

  • Phoenix skipper takes 26 runs off one set of five by White

Live Reporting

Matthew Henry and Timothy Abraham

  1. Fire 24-1

    Full toss from Tahir! Duckett hits it for four and the next ball will be a free hit too...

  2. Welsh Fire slip behind the rate

    Worm

  3. England recall for Moeen?

    Moeen Ali has played only one Test since 2019 - against India in Chennai in February - but he looks a man in great form and England coach Chris Silverwood hinted he could be in the mix for a Test recall.

    "We know he is a fine cricketer," said Silverwood at a news conference earlier today.

    "He's showing fine form in The Hundred. I appreciate it's a different format, but he's showing us what he can do. We have to keep those options open."

  4. Moeen Ali is going to all of his trump cards early. Here's spinner Imran Tahir who looks to have chopped off some of his flowing locks. The orange headband remains, however.

  5. Lauren Winfield-Hill
    Northern Superchargers' women's captain on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    It looks like Milne is bowling with great pace.

  6. Fire 17-1

    Need 168 runs from 85 balls

    During the first innings of this match New Zealand named their squad for the T20 World Cup later this year. Adam Milne is only in it as a reserve. You've got to have a good T20 bowling attack for Milne not to be in it.

    As I say that Ian Cockbain slaps him for four.

  7. Fire 13-1

    Need 172 runs from 90 balls

    Ben Duckett is the leading run-scorer in the men's Hundred so if anyone is going to do this for Welsh Fire it will probably be him.

    Adam Milne will continue with another five...

  8. Fire 11-1

    Fire skipper Ben Duckett begins with a boundary. He's a man in form.

  9. New batter: Ben Duckett

    Ben Duckett

  10. Lauren Winfield-Hill
    Northern Superchargers' women's captain on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    It feels like that was a bad review - unless he felt he had hit it. It just looked out from the get-go.

  11. Scott Read
    BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    That was a terrific delivery - fired in full and straight.

  12. wicket

    WICKET

    Banton lbw b Milne 0 (Fire 7-1)

    That's so out. Not a great review from Tom Banton who was absolutely stone dead. Perfect start for Birmingham Phoenix.

  13. Fire review

    A beauty! A full, fast, swinging ball hits Tom Banton on the boot. The Fire opener is given out lbw but he reviews.

    This is optimistic.

  14. Scott Read
    BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    It's been a good start from Milne this.

  15. Fire 7-0

    Need 178 runs from 96 balls

    New Zealand international Milne is quick and has bowled very well in this tournament so far. He's zipping the ball around as night falls in Birmingham. This crowd could get loud if wickets start to fall.

  16. Fire 5-0

    You're not going to get a better start than this! Phoenix bowler Adam Milne begins with a wide ball that goes all the way to the boundary for four.

  17. Opening batter: Ian Cockbain

    Ian Cockbain

  18. Opening batter: Tom Banton

    Tom Banton

  19. Fire 0-0

    Target 185

    185 to win, then. Good luck...

  20. Who is Will Smeed?

    Will SmeedGetty Images

    Smeed, aged 19 and 287 days, is the youngest player in the men's Hundred.

    He made his Somerset debut last year and in his second professional game hit 82 from 49 balls.

    He was only called up to Phoenix's Hundred squad as a late injury replacement.