Summary

  • Abell (23) & Willey (15) see Fire to victory after brief wobble

  • Eskinazi gets Fire off to perfect start with classy 43 off 18 balls

  • Fire now joint-top on five points but Phoenix remain winless

  • Phoenix limp to 112-7 - Livingstone top-scoring with 28

  • Two wickets apiece for Rauf, Payne & Van der Merwe

Live Reporting

Ffion Wynne

  1. Stevie Eskinazi did an incredible job at getting Welsh Fire comfortably ahead of the chase.

  2. Fire 80-3

    That is delightful from Tom Abell.

    With Moeen getting some turn into the right hander, he steps back slightly and carves it off the back foot and through the covers for four.

    Fire need a further 33 runs from 50 balls.

  3. Jack Leach
    England spinner on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Moeen is so good to watch - he's so natural when bowling.

  4. Fire 75-3

    Just three runs and a wicket from Moeen's first five, so he's going to stay on for another...

  5. Charlie Taylor
    BBC Radio

    If I was Tom Abell, I'd have told Luke Wells to use his review on that. Maybe just maybe Phoenix are still in this. We have already seen an incredible finish in the women's game today...

    Ismail takes hat-trick with final three balls

  6. wicket

    WICKET

    Wells lbw b Moeen 2 (Fire 73-3)

    Welsh Fire are having a wobble!

    Luke Wells goes for an ambitious reverse sweep off Moeen Ali's second ball, is trapped in front and wisely decides not to review after a chat with his skipper.

    Right call - that looked very, very out.

    Moeen traps Wells lbw for two

  7. Not out

    Fire 72-2

    Millimetres!

    That was so, so close. There was barely an appeal from Jamie Smith but it would've been another fantastic bit of keeping.

    However, the third umpire is happy that Tom Abell got his foot down in time, and on we go.

  8. Umpire review

    Is there another stumping?!

  9. wicket

    WICKET

    Clarke st Smith b Howell 16 (Fire 71-2)

    Got him! Joe Clarke is stumped off a wide.

    Clarke tries to whip it through the leg side, lifts his leg flamingo-style and Jamie Smith does so well to keep low and take the ball around all those movements.

    Captain Tom Abell joins Luke Wells, and Fire have two new batters at the crease now after their explosive start.

  10. Umpire review

    Now then!

    Has Jamie Smith pulled off a bit of magic behind the stumps?

  11. Fire 69-1

    Target 113

    Brilliant start from Howell, just two runs and the wicket coming from his first five balls.

    At this same stage, Phoenix were 37-1.

  12. wicket

    WICKET

    Eskinazi c Mousley b Howell 43 (Fire 67-1)

    Ah. Stevie Eskinazi's fun comes to an end.

    He goes for one big shot too many and is caught in the deep by Dan Mousley.

    I said earlier that Benny Howell's bowling could play a big part here and he strikes with his second ball.

  13. Fire 68-0

    Target 113

    A touch of class from Joe Clarke as he dabs one just past a diving point fielder for four more.

    The fastest fifty in the men's Hundred was Adam Rossington's 15-ball effort last year, so Eskinazi has fallen short of that record.

  14. Promoting him up the order has paid off so far.

  15. Fire 52-0

    Target 113

    This is ridiculous batting from Eskinazi.

    Joe Clarke gets his first boundary, before Eskinazi responds with another four down the ground and moves on to 42 from just 15 balls!

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    Maybe, just maybe, Welsh Fire are just too good rather than look for other reasons for a poor batting performance?

    Andrew, Cardiff

  17. 6 runs

    Fire 49-0

    Target 113

    Salt, meet wound.

    Eskinazi clubs the next ball into the stands.

    He moves on to 37 from just 13 balls, while Joe Clarke at the other end only has three to his name so far!

  18. dropped catch

    Eskinazi dropped on 29

    Fire 43-0

    Oh! How costly could this be?

    Tom Helm does a nice job of tidying things up for the Phoenix and draws a chance with Stevie Eskinazi clipping one to mid-wicket, where Kane Richardson spills the catch.

    It went quickly, and just above his head, but definitely should have been taken.

  19. Aatif Nawaz
    BBC Test Match Special commentator

    This has been a deft and delicate onsalught from Stevie Eskinazi.

  20. Thea Brookes
    Former Birmingham Phoenix all-rounder on BBC Radio

    Adam Milne is struggling - that's four boundaries off four low full tosses.