Women's Hundred: Jones & Perry steer Phoenix to victory over Rockets in low-scoring contest - match centre

Summary

Phoenix start slow but time run-chase to perfection
A Jones (44*) and Perry (39*) see hosts over the line with nine ball to spare
Rockets collapse from 70-1 to 116-9
Villani (33) & Sciver (31) give Rockets good platform
Three wickets for Arlott and two apiece for Elwiss & Molineux
Tuesday in Women's Hundred: Manchester Originals v Welsh Fire (15:00 BST)

Live Reporting

Tom Mallows, Ffion Wynne and Georgie Heath

Postpublished at 15:56 British Summer Time 15 August 2022
Heather Knight
England captain on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra
It's another wicket. Key wickets keep falling! That's a great catch by Devine. Seven wickets down and now it will be Sarah Glenn coming out.
WICKETpublished at 79 Balls
King c Devine b Arlott 1 (Rockets 88-7)
That went miles in the air off the bat of Alana King and was an excellent catch by Devine running back over her left shoulder.
It swirled and she had to take a commando roll but she never took her eyes off it.
Emily Arlott has quietly taken three wickets in just 15 balls and gone for just 11 runs.
Postpublished at 15:55 British Summer Time 15 August 2022
Heather Knight
England captain on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra
Another wicket goes here. Trent Rockets are falling apart here. Kelly will be disappointed with that. In comes Katherine Brunt who we know can score quite quickly. Plenty of fire power
Postpublished at 15:54 British Summer Time 15 August 2022
I wonder if you can see these two teams in yellow and orange from space?
No wonder Alana King likes to wear sunnies.
WICKETpublished at 77 Balls
Kelly c Devine b Arlott 1 (Rockets 87-6)
Kelly couldn't get the elevation off the low full toss and Sophie Devine gobbles in up at mid-off.
Enter Katherine Brunt...she definitely can hit the ball.
Rockets 87-5published at 75 Balls
Kelly 1, King 1
The Queen of Spin, Alana King, is out there with Marie Kelly. Could she bring about another game-changing performance this time with the bat?
Postpublished at 15:52 British Summer Time 15 August 2022
Image source, BBC Sport
Postpublished at 15:51 British Summer Time 15 August 2022
Remember that you can never judge a wicket until both teams have batted but at the moment this definitely seems under par.
WICKETpublished at 72 Balls
Freebown c Elwiss b Devine 5 (Rockets 85-5)
She goes for back to back fours past Devine but finds the fielder. Georgia Elwiss is not dropping that.
Postpublished at 15:50 British Summer Time 15 August 2022
Charlie Taylor
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra
She doesn't last very long. Freeborn scored four off of one ball and was out the next and the 5th wicket has been taken.
Postpublished at 15:46 British Summer Time 15 August 2022
Image source, Getty Images
Birmingham Phoenix fielders are showing us all just how important it is to be on form in the field. Catches win matches and all that but also stopping runs increases that scoreboard pressure.
Postpublished at 15:46 British Summer Time 15 August 2022
Steven Finn
Former England bowler on BBC Radio
Another important breakthrough and this shows just how important it is to take wickets at this stage in the game. The run-rate is going nowhere at the moment.
WICKETpublished at 67 Balls
Du Preez c Davies b Wong 2 (Rockets 78-4)
Another in quick succession and a fantastic catch from Davies sees the end of Du Preez.
Aggressive bowling from Wong.
Postpublished at 15:43 British Summer Time 15 August 2022
Charlie Taylor
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra
It's a big breakthrough for Birmingham Phoenix who huddle together. That is a key wicket and a great moment to take that wicket. A very welcome breakthrough for Birmingham Phoenix who can now bring their star bowler Issy Wong back into the attack.
Postpublished at 15:43 British Summer Time 15 August 2022
It's been a great bowling performance by the Phoenix so far. They're building the pressure nicely, taking regular wickets and excelling in the field. They're getting under those catches and, most importantly, taking them. Plus with a two new batters at the crease, they will be feeling confident.
WICKETpublished at 65 Balls
Sciver c Molineux b Arlott 32 (Rockets 77-3)
That's the BIG wicket the Phoenix would have wanted. Sciver was just trying to get some momentum and was setting herself.
Postpublished at 15:38 British Summer Time 15 August 2022
Charlie Taylor
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra
This has gone high up but it goes straight into the hands of Ellyse Perry
That's the breakthrough they were waiting for.
Elwiss and Perry combined to remove Villani. Wonderful!
WICKETpublished at 59 Balls
Villani c Perry b Elwiss 33 (Rockets 70-2)
A boundary and then a wicket. We see it so often.
Villani was just starting to get going and was looking pretty happy. Arlott's grimace following a boundary has now been swept aside and Phoennix are all smiles again.
Perry was never dropping that. She's Ellyse Perry...need I say more?
Postpublished at 15:34 British Summer Time 15 August 2022
Charlie Taylor
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra
Nicely played by Villani for four runs, it beats the fielders and hits the boundary.
Villani has a smile on her face and punches hands with Sciver and the flames in the stadium go up!
Rockets 64-1published at 55 Balls
Villani 28, Sciver 28
Nat Sciver is bored of not hitting boundaries. She can sense the need for speed and is keen to get the scoreboard ticking over. Half-volley from Gordon gets dispatched back past her for four before Villani joins the boundary party.
The flames go up and, for the first time in days, they are actually hotter than the air temperature!