Summary

  • Brave move top of the table

  • Phoenix lose five wickets for 30 runs to only reach 129-8

  • Amy Jones run out by brilliant Bouchier throw from deep for 34

  • Brave 132-4: Wyatt 43 (33), Mandhana 39 (32)

  • Openers Wyatt & Mandhana put on 84

  • Arlott takes 2-22 for Phoenix

  1. Postpublished at 17:50 British Summer Time 16 August 2023

    Match Hero, Southern Brave batter Danni Wyatt on BBC Two: "Smriti and I are very different. We don't really talk much out in the middle, we just keep it very simple and she's so laid back which makes me love batting with her.

    "They had three leg spinners so we were able to use Smriti really well there to take the attack to them. Having a left hander and a right hander at the top is really annoying for bowlers so it works well for us.

    "We thought 120-130 would be a good score on this pitch. It wasn't easy to time the ball early on.

    "I love it here with the big crowds coming out to support it. It's a great place to play and we've got a good record here."

  2. 'We're winning the small moments'published at 17:46 British Summer Time 16 August 2023

    Southern Brave captain Anya Shrubsole, speaking to Sky Sports: "I thought it was good in patches, the position we were in, we should have got more runs.

    "We just fought like hell with the ball and in the field.

    "We're finding ways to win and people contribute all the way through. That top three have been brilliant. Lauren's set of five at the end was outstanding.

    "You look at little things like that that make the difference, Maia's run out as well. We just seem to be winning those small moments."

  3. Postpublished at 17:45 British Summer Time 16 August 2023

    Heather Knight
    England captain on BBC Two

    Southern Brave's fielding was exceptional today.

  4. Postpublished at 17:43 British Summer Time 16 August 2023

    Amy Jones was batting beautifully but this moment of brilliance in the field from Maia Bouchier changed the course of the game.

  5. Postpublished at 17:41 British Summer Time 16 August 2023

    The third wicket partnership between Amy Jones and Erin Burns, who made 29 and 33 respectively, seemed to be steering Birmingham Phoenix to victory.

    But the Brave's bowlers fought back, and they have now won four in a row.

    A guaranteed place in the eliminator is firmly in their sights now.

  6. Postpublished at 17:39 British Summer Time 16 August 2023

    James Anderson
    England bowler on BBC Two

    A brilliant display.

  7. champagne moment

    Southern Brave win by three runspublished at 17:38 British Summer Time 16 August 2023

    Southern Brave go top of the table!

    A pretty devastating collapse from Birmingham Phoenix sees them fall short in a chase that they seemed to have in the bag.

    They remain without a win in the competition.

  8. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 2 balls left

    Baker st Southby b Shrubsole 1 (Phoenix 127-8)

    Emily Arlott can't make the most of the free hit.

    She runs two, before taking a single and then Hannah Baker is stumped.

    Phoenix have really unravelled here.

  9. Phoenix 124-7published at 3 balls left

    Oh! Is there hope?

    Anya Shrubsole bowls a waist-height no-ball, which gives away two runs and a free hit.

    Nine runs from three.

  10. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 4 balls left

    Flintoff c & b Shrubsole 0 (Phoenix 121-7)

    Southern Brave edge closer to victory.

    Tess Flintoff has to try and hit boundaries but Anya Shrubsole expertly takes all the pace off the ball and can only send the ball flying high into the air for the bowler to take the catch.

  11. Phoenix 121-6published at 5 balls left

    Brilliant from Lauren Bell.

    Just three runs and the wicket from her last five balls.

    Phoenix need 12 from five.

  12. Postpublished at 17:31 British Summer Time 16 August 2023

    Alison Mitchell
    Cricket commentator on BBC Two

    Pace off the ball is working and Phoenix are falling away. Brilliant bowling from Lauren Bell.

  13. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 7 balls left

    Freeborn c Mandhana b Bell 5 (Phoenix 118-6)

    Abbey Freeborn's struggle comes to an end.

    Smart bowling from Lauren Bell, taking the pace off the ball and forcing the batter to go after it but she clubs it straight to mid-off.

    Freeborn departs for five from 10 balls.

  14. Phoenix 118-5published at 9 balls left

    Need 15 from 9 balls

    Lauren Bell starts with a dot ball. Pressure on Abbey Freeborn with five runs from eight balls so far.

  15. Postpublished at 17:29 British Summer Time 16 August 2023

    Alison Mitchell
    Cricket commentator on BBC Two

    A flurry of runs but then the wicket puts the brakes on Phoenix.

  16. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 11 balls left

    Burns c Mandhana b Adams 29 (Phoenix 118-5)

    Six, four, out!

    Erin Burns keeps attacking, trying to hit down the ground but doesn't get enough timing and Smriti Mandhana takes a simple catch.

    Two new batters at the crease for Phoenix now with 15 runs still required.

  17. Phoenix 118-4published at 12 balls left

    Need 15 from 12 balls

    Four more!

    Erin Burns is playing a blinder here.

  18. Postpublished at 17:27 British Summer Time 16 August 2023

    James Anderson
    England bowler on BBC Two

    You've got to try and use the pitch as a spinner - that's not the right delivery as this point.

  19. 6 runs

    Phoenix 114-4published at 13 balls left

    HUGE!

    Georgia Adams bowls a filthy full toss and Erin Burns clubs it for six!

    That makes it 19 from 13 balls required.