Spirit eliminate Phoenix in low-scoring thriller at Lord's
Callum Matthews
BBC Sport cricket writer
London Spirit won a dramatic low-scoring thriller at Lord's to eliminate Birmingham Phoenix from the women's Hundred.
Chasing just 83 to win, Spirit fell to 2-3 and 26-6 but Naomi Dattani (28 not out off 29) and Grace Scrivens (26 not out from 30) shared an unbroken 57 from 57 balls as they got over the line with three balls to spare.
They needed seven from the final set of five balls, but Australia left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux bowled a waist-high no-ball, that Spirit also took two off, to change the scenario to three from five.
Earlier, Phoenix were bowled out for 82 off 94 balls, with Eve Jones making 24 off 30 balls and Georgia Elwiss 14.
Spirit bowled and fielded superbly with Megan Schutt, Amelia Kerr and Danielle Gibson all taking two wickets.
The four-wicket win means that Spirit finish seventh in the table and Phoenix can finish no higher than fourth.
It leaves Trent Rockets in the box seat to take the third and final play-off spot, but both Manchester Originals and Northern Superchargers are able to climb above them with big victories over Oval Invincibles and Southern Brave on Wednesday.
What else happened?
England hopeful Emily Arlott was the pick of the Phoenix bowlers, taking 2-9 from her 20 balls.
Phoenix captain Sophie Devine took a brilliant catch on the boundary to remove Gibson, before her direct hit ran out Beth Mooney, to leave Spirit 2-2.
A series of misfields in the final few balls, including from Australia legend Ellyse Perry, allowed Spirit to get over the line.
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Post update
London Spirit's captain Charlie Dean: "We really set the tone with the ball but that's not the way we wanted to complete a chase!
Naomi Dattani is a great player and showed great composure to get us over the line.
"It [captaincy] has been a bit tricky, I wouldn't consider myself as a massive leader but I have grown throughout the competition.
"Grace Scrivens has done brilliantly. She's been amazing and she didn't get the start she wanted with the bat. As weird as her technique might be, it was brilliant for her to be at the end and finish it off for us.
"The crowd getting behind us is immense. It would've been nice to win comfortably but the crowd really helped."
Post update
'Made it interesting' is one way of putting it!
Sophie Devine produces two moments of brilliance in the field to spoil Spirit's party.
Emily Arlott was quite sensational with the ball, taking two wickets for just nine runs from her 20 balls.
But Dattani's 28 not out and Scrivens' 26 not out steered Spirit home - eventually!
Post update
Match Hero and London Spirit all-rounder Naomi Dattani: "Unbelievable. As a fielding and bowling unit we set it up nicely. We made it a little bit interesting but we got over the line that's all that counts.
"Me and Scriv [Grace Scrivens] have batted a lot together so we just backed our strengths and took it as deep as we could. We were calm on the outside but there were definitely some nerves underneath."
Post update
The batting hasn't been great today to say the least but that is largely in part to just how good the bowling and fielding has been.
London Spirit started it in style.
Post update
So what does that mean for the table?
Southern Brave and Oval Invincibles are already through to the knockouts, but it's a battle for third place.
London Spirit were out before the game started but Birmingham Phoenix needed a win to make it through.
They didn't manage that, so Trent Rockets stay in third place but can still be pipped by Manchester Originals or Northern Superchargers, who both play tomorrow. You can check out the women's table here.
Post update
Wow. That was utterly bonkers.
London Spirit bowled and fielded beautifully to bowl Birmingham Phoenix out for just 83.
But Spirit themselves slumped to 26-6 in reply before Naomi Dattani and 18-year-old Grace Scrivens came together and added a calm, steady partnership of 57 from 57 balls to see their side home with just three balls to spare.
Who thought it would get that close?!
Post update
Henry Moeran
BBC Radio
Disaster for the Phoenix who collectively slump to the ground!
LONDON SPIRIT WIN
Grace Scrivens scampers two runs and that concludes Birmingham Phoenix's Hundred campaign!
In a low-scoring thriller, London Spirit get just their second win of the competition.
What a game!
Post update
Abhishek Jhunjhunwala
Former IPL batter on BBC Radio
Now it's London Spirit's game, they will have to do something very special to lose now.
Spirit 81-6
Need 2 runs to win
No. Dattani survives.
Just two needed now.
Umpire review
Surely not? A run out off the free hit?
Post update
Henry Moeran
BBC Radio
That is as bad as it could've been for the Birmingham Phoenix.
Spirit 80-6
Need 3 runs to win
Oh, nightmare for Molineux!
No-ball, it's a free hit and they run two!
Post update
Sophie Molineux has got five balls to defend seven runs...
Naomi Dattani has 26, and Grace Scrivens 24. It has been a brilliant partnership so far, but has it been match-winning?
Spirit 76-6
Need 7 runs to win
Two!
Smashed by Dattani out to the boundary, who runs the first run rapidly to make it back safely.
Last five balls now. It's tense.
Post update
Alex Hartley
Former England bowler on BBC Radio
It's a good game of cricket but a bad game.
Spirit 74-6
Need 9 runs to win
Another single for Scrivens.
Spirit 73-6
Need 10 runs to win
Scrivens goes for a reverse sweep or pull shot, but misses!
Live Reporting
Ffion Wynne and Tom Mallows
All times stated are UK
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England hopeful Emily Arlott was the pick of the Phoenix bowlers, taking 2-9 from her 20 balls.
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Phoenix captain Sophie Devine took a brilliant catch on the boundary to remove Gibson, before her direct hit ran out Beth Mooney, to leave Spirit 2-2.
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A series of misfields in the final few balls, including from Australia legend Ellyse Perry, allowed Spirit to get over the line.
![Women's Hundred table: Brave 10, Invincibles 8, Rockets 6, Phoenix 6, Originals 4, Superchargers 4, Spirit 4, Fire 2](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
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Latest PostSpirit eliminate Phoenix in low-scoring thriller at Lord's
Callum Matthews
BBC Sport cricket writer
London Spirit won a dramatic low-scoring thriller at Lord's to eliminate Birmingham Phoenix from the women's Hundred.
Chasing just 83 to win, Spirit fell to 2-3 and 26-6 but Naomi Dattani (28 not out off 29) and Grace Scrivens (26 not out from 30) shared an unbroken 57 from 57 balls as they got over the line with three balls to spare.
They needed seven from the final set of five balls, but Australia left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux bowled a waist-high no-ball, that Spirit also took two off, to change the scenario to three from five.
Earlier, Phoenix were bowled out for 82 off 94 balls, with Eve Jones making 24 off 30 balls and Georgia Elwiss 14.
Spirit bowled and fielded superbly with Megan Schutt, Amelia Kerr and Danielle Gibson all taking two wickets.
The four-wicket win means that Spirit finish seventh in the table and Phoenix can finish no higher than fourth.
It leaves Trent Rockets in the box seat to take the third and final play-off spot, but both Manchester Originals and Northern Superchargers are able to climb above them with big victories over Oval Invincibles and Southern Brave on Wednesday.
What else happened?
Post update
London Spirit's captain Charlie Dean: "We really set the tone with the ball but that's not the way we wanted to complete a chase!
Naomi Dattani is a great player and showed great composure to get us over the line.
"It [captaincy] has been a bit tricky, I wouldn't consider myself as a massive leader but I have grown throughout the competition.
"Grace Scrivens has done brilliantly. She's been amazing and she didn't get the start she wanted with the bat. As weird as her technique might be, it was brilliant for her to be at the end and finish it off for us.
"The crowd getting behind us is immense. It would've been nice to win comfortably but the crowd really helped."
Post update
'Made it interesting' is one way of putting it!
Sophie Devine produces two moments of brilliance in the field to spoil Spirit's party.
Emily Arlott was quite sensational with the ball, taking two wickets for just nine runs from her 20 balls.
But Dattani's 28 not out and Scrivens' 26 not out steered Spirit home - eventually!
Post update
Match Hero and London Spirit all-rounder Naomi Dattani: "Unbelievable. As a fielding and bowling unit we set it up nicely. We made it a little bit interesting but we got over the line that's all that counts.
"Me and Scriv [Grace Scrivens] have batted a lot together so we just backed our strengths and took it as deep as we could. We were calm on the outside but there were definitely some nerves underneath."
Post update
The batting hasn't been great today to say the least but that is largely in part to just how good the bowling and fielding has been.
London Spirit started it in style.
Post update
So what does that mean for the table?
Southern Brave and Oval Invincibles are already through to the knockouts, but it's a battle for third place.
London Spirit were out before the game started but Birmingham Phoenix needed a win to make it through.
They didn't manage that, so Trent Rockets stay in third place but can still be pipped by Manchester Originals or Northern Superchargers, who both play tomorrow. You can check out the women's table here.
Post update
Wow. That was utterly bonkers.
London Spirit bowled and fielded beautifully to bowl Birmingham Phoenix out for just 83.
But Spirit themselves slumped to 26-6 in reply before Naomi Dattani and 18-year-old Grace Scrivens came together and added a calm, steady partnership of 57 from 57 balls to see their side home with just three balls to spare.
Who thought it would get that close?!
Post update
Henry Moeran
BBC Radio
Disaster for the Phoenix who collectively slump to the ground!
LONDON SPIRIT WIN
Grace Scrivens scampers two runs and that concludes Birmingham Phoenix's Hundred campaign!
In a low-scoring thriller, London Spirit get just their second win of the competition.
What a game!
Post update
Abhishek Jhunjhunwala
Former IPL batter on BBC Radio
Now it's London Spirit's game, they will have to do something very special to lose now.
Spirit 81-6
Need 2 runs to win
No. Dattani survives.
Just two needed now.
Umpire review
Surely not? A run out off the free hit?
Post update
Henry Moeran
BBC Radio
That is as bad as it could've been for the Birmingham Phoenix.
Spirit 80-6
Need 3 runs to win
Oh, nightmare for Molineux!
No-ball, it's a free hit and they run two!
Post update
Sophie Molineux has got five balls to defend seven runs...
Naomi Dattani has 26, and Grace Scrivens 24. It has been a brilliant partnership so far, but has it been match-winning?
Spirit 76-6
Need 7 runs to win
Two!
Smashed by Dattani out to the boundary, who runs the first run rapidly to make it back safely.
Last five balls now. It's tense.
Post update
Alex Hartley
Former England bowler on BBC Radio
It's a good game of cricket but a bad game.
Spirit 74-6
Need 9 runs to win
Another single for Scrivens.
Spirit 73-6
Need 10 runs to win
Scrivens goes for a reverse sweep or pull shot, but misses!
A valuable dot ball for Phoenix.
Spirit 73-6
Need 10 runs to win
A fumble by Georgia Elwiss allows a single.
Another single follows.