Summary

  • Use audio icon at the top of the page to listen to BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra commentary

  • Fire recover from 15-3 to chase 110 with six wickets in hand

  • Abell finishes 37 not out and Phillips 21 not out

  • Result keeps both sides in play-off contention

  • Spirit recover from 19-4 off 28 balls to post 109-9

  • England Test opener Crawley makes two off 11 balls

  1. Fire 43-3published at 50 balls left

    67 runs needed

    A three! A three!

    Bairstow sends Jordan Thompson's ball to that long boundary at mid-wicket, Liam Dawson saves the boundary and Fire can run something more than a single.

  2. Fire 38-3published at 55 balls left

    Nathan Ellis is next up to bat for London Spirit, playing in his final match before he departs for international duty with Australia.

    For the fourth consecutive set, we see three runs scored. The last time we saw anything other than a single was 21 balls ago.

  3. Fire 35-3published at 60 balls left

    The wily Ravi Bopara comes onto bowl. Bairstow starts to hurry through for a single but then thinks better of it. He then has to block out a delivery that cuts in.

    Eight runs from the last 15 deliveries.

  4. Fire 32-3published at 65 balls left

    Spin for the first time as Liam Dawson is introduced into the attack.

    Just three more singles, but Fire will be comfortable enough at this stage - 78 runs needed.

  5. Fire 29-3published at 70 balls left

    A tight little set from the head-banded Jordan Thompson, holding Tom Abell and Jonny Bairstow to a single apiece.

  6. Fire 27-3published at 75 balls left

    Spirit double-down and choose to bowl out Worrall - he continues with his final set of five deliveries.

    He's facing Jonny Bairstow now and the England batter is - appropriately for a Yorkshireman - different gravy. He finds the boundary behind the slips - perhaps a little fortuitously as he was hurried for pace and had to jam his bat in defence. No questions about the next four, driving through the covers.

    Worrall ends with 3-24, a fantastic spell. Now for his team-mates to follow his lead.

  7. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 81 balls left

    Wells c Rossington b Worrall 0 (Fire 15-3)

    And another!

    The three-time Australian cap hangs a ball outside offer and new batter Luke Wells edges for a second catch for Rossington.

    Are Spirit in this? They might just be in this.

  8. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 83 balls left

    Clarke c Rossington b Worrall 2 (Fire 15-2)

    Another wicket for Worrall!

    Spirit front load the seamer's allotted deliveries and have their reward. Joe Clarke never really looked comfortable, he attempts a drive down the ground but entirely misjudges the line of Worrall's delivery, which deviates slightly, and can only nick behind to Adam Rossington.

  9. Fire 15-1published at 85 balls left

    Jordan Thompson is next up for the Spirit.

    He extracts three dots from Joe Clarke before the Fire batter gets off the mark with a cut that squeezes past the point fielder.

  10. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 91 balls left

    Eskinazi c Mitchell b Worrall 9 (Fire 12-1)

    Stevie Eskinazi's entertaining performance at the top of the order comes to an end.

    He sends Worrall high into the air once more and this time Daryl Mitchell is well set to take the catch at cover.

    In comes Joe Clarke.

  11. 6 runs

    Fire 12-0published at 92 balls left

    Barrels of funkiness from Eskinazi - the continuing Worrall sends a ball down the off-side that would surely go for a wide, but the Fire batter is set for the scoop and he shuffles further across to guide the ball high over the boundary behind third.

  12. Fire 4-0published at 95 balls left

    Crikey - Stevie Eskinazi comes whirling out his crease and sends Worrall's second ball spiralling into the air. It plugs out behind point, safe but that seemed needlessly risky.

    Jonny Bairstow takes two through mid-wicket.

  13. Fire 0-0published at 99 balls left

    Immediate movement for Worrall, beating the bat of a sprawling Ezkinazi.

    Two slips in - love it.

  14. Postpublished at 19:39 British Summer Time 20 August 2023

    Thanks Sam.

    Daniel Worrall is to open the bowling for London Spirit. He's setting out his fielders, Steve Eskinazi and Jonny Bairstow standing waiting for Fire.

  15. Postpublished at 19:36 British Summer Time 20 August 2023

    We're not far away from the start of the Welsh Fire innings.

    With just 110 needed, they'll hope to get this done pretty quickly. However, the way the pitch is playing, it might not be that easy.

    To take you through it, I'll hand you over to Mike Peter.

  16. Postpublished at 19:35 British Summer Time 20 August 2023

    Nine wickets in the innings with two each for all of the Fire seamers. Perhaps the most memorable was that of Matt Critchley thanks to a brilliant catch in the deep from Glenn Phillips.

    The man is just ridiculous in the field.

  17. Postpublished at 19:33 British Summer Time 20 August 2023

    Welsh Fire bowler Matt Henry on Sky Sports: "It was great to have a start like that. Myself and Willey at the top put us ahead of the game.

    "Runs are on the board and I'm looking forward to watching the boys chase them.

    "Against the new ball, you need to get the pace of the wicket. There's a bit of bounce there so you need to manage that, then when that softens a bit, get into your work."

  18. wicket

    Welsh Fire need 110 to winpublished at 100 balls

    Ellis b Payne 0 (Spirit 109-9)

    David Payne hits the top of off stump to finish an impressive bowling effort from Welsh Fire.

    London Spirit did well to get themselves above 100 in the end - that was far from certain for a long time.

  19. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 99 balls

    Thompson run out (Clarke) 0 (Spirit 109-8)

    Spirit try to run a single to wicketkeeper Joe Clarke and he's having none of it.

    The ball flicked off Ravi Bopara's pads, down the leg side and Clarke whips off a glove before throwing down the stumps to remove Jordan Thompson.

  20. dropped catch

    Bopara dropped on 18published at 97 balls

    Spirit 105-7

    Dropped by Jonny Bairstow in the deep!

    Ravi Bopara pulls David Payne into the leg side but didn't time it. The ball carries out to deep backward square where Bairstow drops a sitter.

    He's usually got such safe hands in the outfield but not this time.