Summary

  • Fire fall five runs short after failing to score 11 from final set

  • Richardson & Helm star with two wickets apiece

  • Phoenix recover from slow start to post 130-7

  • Cameos from Wade & Howell drag Phoenix to respectable score

Live Reporting

Georgie Heath and Sam Drury

  1. Charlie Taylor
    BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    It's plumb. Bottom of middle stump. Out.

  2. wicket

    WICKET

    Hammond lbw b Payne 17 (Phoenix 87-5)

    Hitting in line and that is out! A well-deserved wicket for Payne from the penultimate ball of a brilliant set.

    There was no bat involved and the only thing that might have saved Hammond was where it struck him. HawkEye shows it was in line and that was that, thumping into middle and off.

  3. Charlie Taylor
    BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    This could well be out.

  4. Fire review

    Hammond was across his stumps trying to ramp and the Fire think they've got him lbw.

    Given not out but reviewed.

  5. Tom Abell
    Somerset all-rounder on BBC radio

    Wade looks in touch. He's got to go.

    The run map shows Matthew Wade scored 33 with 2 sixes, 1 four2 two, and 13 singles for Birmingham Phoenix Men

  6. Charlie Taylor
    BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    Miles Hammond batting for Birmingham PhoenixGetty Images

    Something has to happen now for Birmingham Phoenix if they're going to post something defendable.

  7. Phoenix 85-4

    There were a couple of wides in that set from Pretorius and he is fortune not to concede another.

    The umpire decides it was just inside the line and the bowler gets out of a 16-run set. Much better for the visitors.

  8. Phoenix 84-4

    Is there life in the Phoenix yet?

    There might just be. Hammond clubs Pretorius back over the top for four.

    This has been an expensive set from the South African so far.

  9. Charlie Taylor
    BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    That's huge. A huge six into the crowd.

  10. Phoenix 77-4

    That's a biggie! Swung away by Matthew Wade - welcome back to the attack Dwaine Pretorious!

  11. Phoenix 71-4

    How did that miss!? Wade swings and misses at a ball from Ball that didn't get up as much as he expected and, somehow, it doesn't bowl him.

    That can't have been more than a centimetre or two over the top!

  12. Keeping it tight and taking wickets, including this one of Liam Livingstone, George Scrimshaw is adding to his burgeoning reputation...

  13. Carlos Brathwaite
    West Indies all-rounder on BBC radio

    George Scrimshaw celebrating a wicket for Welsh FireGetty Images

    One of the most underrated players in England's World Cup win was Liam Plunkett. I think Scrimshaw does that role really well. He's disciplined and economical conceding just 16 runs from 15 balls.

  14. Phoenix 65-4

    The Fire have now edged up to scoring a a smidge over a run a ball. That's a start.

    Scrimshaw came back very well after the six though, just one leg bye from the next four balls so it's still a very good set for the hosts.

  15. 6 runs

    Phoenix 64-4

    A rare loose delivery from Scrimshaw sees the ball angling down leg and Wade does well to just help the ball on its way. Good timing and it carries for six!

    Is now the time for the Phoenix to drop the hammer and accelerate?

  16. Carlos Brathwaite
    West Indies all-rounder on BBC radio

    Welsh Fire are playing a real good game of cricket so far.

    Sometimes you can see from a field set or the way the bowlers are attacking, that there is a real plan.

    They seem to be executing things really well and taking the pressure off their inexperienced batting line-up.

  17. Phoenix 58-4

    Even when Zampa oversteps, giving the Phoenix a free hit, they aren't able to capitalise. Hammond can only hoick a single to leg.

    Still eight runs from the set is better than we've seen in the last few.

  18. Carlos Brathwaite
    West Indies all-rounder on BBC radio

    I think they'll need to get 130 at least. That's one of the totals that is tricky enough, if they get off to a good start, to defend it.

  19. Adam ZampaGetty Images

    Adam Zampa comes on for the Fire, he could hardly ask for a better time to enter the fray.

  20. The HundredBBC Sport