Phoenix manage a couple of leg byes off the final two deliveries of that set from Luke Fletcher.

Left-arm paceman David Payne next up.

Olly Stone
England bowler on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

I played a second team game against Will Smeed earlier in the year and fortunately he didn't get many runs so I didn't see a lot of him. From what I have heard everyone has just got good things to say about him.

Luke Fletchers runs in with real purpose, delivers a full straight one which is nudged for one by Finn Allen, then collapses in heap on the pitch.

Next ball Will Smeed cuts Fletcher ruthlessly for four.

Olly Stone
England bowler on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

It looked like the ball came on pretty nicely in the first game. It looked very easy to hit through the line of the ball. The boundaries came all around the ground. The way Verma and the Phoenix finished the innings you'd thinking 150 would be a par score.

The Welsh Fire players have a group huddle on the out field to hear some final words of inspiration from skipper Ben Duckett.

Image source, Twitter

Mark Roberts: Another cricket format… it’ll never work. Actually this is what it’s all about … access to players and kids making memories whilst having great fun. Well done The Hundred.

Image source, BBC Sport

Birmingham Phoenix men’s captain Moeen Ali is banking on a sold out Edgbaston helping his side against Welsh Fire.

He said: "The supporters in Birmingham have really got behind us in The Hundred. We’ve had fans of all ages in the ground and they’ve made so much noise in our games, which makes it more difficult for the opposition.

"We all want to play in-front of big crowds and we’re grateful that our supporters are turning up again in such big numbers at Edgbaston. We hope that we can put in another big performance for them and come out with maximum points from our home games."

Birmingham Phoenix have won their three encounters at home and have lost both their encounters on the road in the men’s edition of The Hundred.

Welsh Fire won their first two fixtures but have lost their last three matches in the tournament.

Both sides are unchanged incidentally.

Welsh Fire skipper Ben Duckett said: "We have batted first in every game we have played so I was due to win one and bowl first. The weather might come into it so we'll chase.

"It's been a shame we have lost the last few matches. We need to get some momentum and hopefully that starts tonight. You can put pressure on yourself as a team with it being a must-win game but we are looking to enjoy it."

Birmingham Phoenix captain Moeen Ali, speaking to Sky Sports after the toss, said: "The wicket looks a good wicket but we would have bowled first as well if I had won.

"I think to try to win the tournament you are going to have to bat well first when asked to do so it's a good challenge for us. I'm striking it okay myself with the bat and we're playing well as a team at the moment."

Welsh Fire skipper Ben Duckett has won the toss and elected to bowl first under grey skies at Edgbaston.

The match start time has been delayed until 18:45 BST because we have had some rain around earlier but will not lose any balls as things stand.

Image source, Getty Images

It really is crunch time for Welsh Fire in The Hundred.

They are seventh in the standings, on four points, and really need a win against Birmingham Phoenix this evening to give themselves a realistic chance of making the eliminators.

If Phoenix win they will go top of the table.