Summary

  • Ismail takes hat-trick to win match for Fire, who go top of table

  • Phoenix only needed four from last three balls

  • Flintoff (55) & Jones (48*) looked to be taking Phoenix to victory

  • Fire post 137-7 - Beaumont scores 59 off 40 as Fire start well

  • Fire lose four wickets in last 11 balls of innings

  • Flintoff 3-13, Baker 2-21, Arlott 2-33

  1. Phoenix 49-1published at 60 balls left

    Target 138

    Great skill or a bit of luck?

    Amy Jones moves across her stumps and the ball slides off the back of her bat towards fine leg for two.

    I'm inclined to say, it was a scoop shot gone awry but maybe it was intentional?

  2. Phoenix 43-1published at 65 balls left

    Target 138

    Amy Jones is the new batter and the England wicketkeeper is off the mark first ball with a single.

    That brings Tess Flintoff on strike and she is still struggling to find out sort of fluency in her batting.

    Just two runs, plus the wicket, from Alex Griffiths first five.

  3. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 69 balls

    Devine b Griffiths 29 (Phoeniz 41-1)

    Huge wicket!

    Sophie Devine expected more pace on the ball from Alex Griffiths and was through the shot too soon.

    She missed it but the ball was still heading down well leg before deflecting off her boot and onto the stumps!

  4. Phoenix 41-0published at 70 balls left

    Target 138

    Much better finish to the set from Georgia Elwiss. It helps that she has Tess Flintoff on strike.

    Flintoff is 10 from 12 balls, Sophie Devine is 29 from 18. I know who I'd rather be bowling to at the moment!

  5. Postpublished at 16:49 British Summer Time 10 August 2023

    Thea Brookes
    Former Birmingham Phoenix all-rounder on BBC Radio

    Sophie Devine is so destructive when she gets going, she is the key wicket for Welsh Fire.

  6. Phoenix 40-0published at 73 balls left

    Target 138

    Lovely shot from Sophie Devine.

    Too full from Georgia Elwiss and it's driven firmly through extra cover for four.

    Four more. Full toss and Devine whips this one away to the fence.

  7. Phoenix 32-0published at 75 balls left

    Target 138

    Four more to Sophie Devine, pulled into the gap between the two fielders in the deep.

    A good end to the powerplay for Birmingham Phoenix but they are a few runs shy of where Welsh Fire were at the same point.

  8. 6 runs

    Phoenix 28-0published at 79 balls

    Big shot!

    Sophie Devine gets down on one knee and slog-sweeps Claire Nicholas over the leg side for six.

    That came right out of the screws!

  9. Phoenix 22-0published at 80 balls left

    Target 138

    IsmailImage source, Getty Images

    Shabnim Ismail has been unusually expensive in her first 10 balls, conceding 16 runs.

    More concerning for Welsh Fire is that Hayley Matthews has now left the field. She was feeling her shoulder again.

    She's been in such good form so fingers crossed it's nothing serious.

  10. Postpublished at 16:45 British Summer Time 10 August 2023

    Thea Brookes
    Former Birmingham Phoenix all-rounder on BBC Radio

    OpenersImage source, Getty Images

    Sophie Devine is so funny and great to have around the team. Her tattoos are funny - she's got 'Haha' on her funny bone and a tennis racquet on her elbow. She's so friendly and really looks after the lesser experienced players.

  11. Phoenix 19-0published at 83 balls left

    Target 138

    Crunched!

    It's quick from Shabnim Ismail but it's short, wide and punished through point by Sophie Devine. Four runs.

  12. Phoenix 15-0published at 84 balls left

    Target 138

    There is some concern for Welsh Fire after Hayley Matthews stays down holding her shoulder after chasing the ball and flicking it back just before it reaches the boundary.

    Great effort and, thankfully for the Fire, Matthews looks to be OK to continue.

  13. Phoenix 13-0published at 85 balls left

    Target 138

    Very good set from Freya Davies, only three runs from her five.

    They all come from one shot from Tess Flintoff, lofted into the off side but through the gap.

  14. Postpublished at 16:38 British Summer Time 10 August 2023

    That is a superb home-made sign. Summer holidays well spent!

    PhoenixImage source, Getty Images
  15. Phoenix 10-0published at 90 balls left

    Target 138

    Claire Nicholas bowls the next five and it's a very good set from the spinner.

    Just a couple of runs from it, one of which is a leg bye.

    Freya Davies is preparing to bowl the next.

  16. Phoenix 7-0published at 95 balls left

    Target 138

    Tess Flintoff helps calm the nerves after that mix-up by pulling the next ball from Shabnim Ismail away for four.

    Lovely shot.

  17. Phoenix 3-0published at 97 balls left

    Target 138

    Run out chance!

    The experiment with Tess Flintoff opening is nearly a very brief one as she drops the ball into the off side and sets off for a single.

    Sophie Devine turns her back but Tammy Beaumont had already swooped and thrown at the stumps.

    The throw is well off target, Flintoff was gone with a hit. I think Beaumont had more time than she realised.

  18. Postpublished at 16:33 British Summer Time 10 August 2023

    Thea Brookes
    Former Birmingham Phoenix all-rounder on BBC Radio

    I'm excited to see how this partnership comes off. We weren't expecting Tess Flintoff to open but I think it's a good thing.

  19. Phoenix 1-0published at 99 balls left

    Interesting move from Birmingham Phoenix. Sophie Devine is opening but it's Tess Flintoff rather than Eve Jones out there with her.

    Flintoff faces up to the first ball from the fiery Shabnim Ismail and guides it to deep third for one.

  20. Target Devine with high pacepublished at 16:31 British Summer Time 10 August 2023

    Sophie DevineImage source, Getty Images

    Kiwi skipper Sophie Devine is one of the most prolific all-rounders in the women’s game capable of winning games with both bat and ball.

    She is currently Birmingham Phoenix’s leading run scorer in this year's competition with 73 runs to her name.

    She has however, like many players, struggled against high-pace bowling. Against 70+ mph bowling, her average drops to just 14 and her strike rate to just 77.

    At their disposal, Welsh Fire’s bowling attack boasts the fastest bowler in the game, Shabnim Ismail, who has bowled 88% of her deliveries in this tournament above that threshold.