Southern Brave thumped Birmingham Phoenix by 32 runs in The Hundred Men’s competition. Batting first, Brave posted 169 runs in 100 balls, thanks to James Vince’s (90* off 47) scintillating knock. In response, Ben Duckett (92 off 53) fought valiantly but lacked support from other batters and Phoenix could only muster 137 runs in 100 balls.
Match Summary
- Toss: Moeen Ali (BP) won the toss and opted to bowl.
- Southern Brave Innings: 169/2 in 100 balls
- James Vince: 90*(47)
- Kieron Pollard: 38*(22)
- Key Bowler: Sean Abbott (1/37) in 20 balls
- Birmingham Phoenix Innings: 137/9 in 100 balls
- Ben Duckett: 92 (53)
- Sean Abbott: 11 (10)
- Key Bowler: Chris Jordan (3/19) in 20 balls
Key Moments
Davies and Vince’s Solid Start
After being invited to bat first, Alex Davies and James Vince negated the new-ball bowlers carefully and kept the scoreboard ticking at a decent pace. Vince switched gears after getting into his groove and pummeled Phoenix bowlers all around the park. The pair added 81-run for the first wicket for Southern Brave, with Davies departing for 30 runs off 22 balls. 
Vince Carnage
The English batter continued his merry ways and smashed Phoenix bowlers for fun. Vince remained unbeaten till the end and delivered a scintillating knock of 90 runs off 47 balls. His knock comprised six fours and sixes each, helping his side post a hefty total on the board.
Pollard’s Cameo
The West Indian batter did well with the bat in his previous game and continued his impressive form in this contest as well. He joined forces at number four and smashed an unbeaten 38 runs off 22 balls, including five fours and a six. Pollard was involved in an unbeaten 68-run partnership for the third wicket with Vince. The right-hander has amassed 75 runs in two innings in The Hundred 2024.
Duckett’s Valiant Knock in Vain
In pursuit of 169 runs, Phoenix lost Aneurin Donald for a mere seven runs, but Ben Duckett came out all guns blazing and kept his side in the hunt with a brisk scoring rate. However, he lacked support from other batters as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals and fell like ninepins, ultimately being restricted to 137/9 in 100 balls. The left-hander delivered a scintillating knock of 92 runs off 53 balls, but his side ended up on the losing side. He will look to continue this form throughout The Hundred event.
Implications and Future Prospects
Ben Duckett was the lone warrior for Birmingham Phoenix in this contest as other batters failed to make a significant impact, with only three batters scoring in double digits, including Duckett. Aneurin Donald, Liam Livingstone, and Moeen Ali must contribute in the top order, while Dan Mousley, Jacob Bethell, and Louis Kimber must show consistency. Their bowlers looked mediocre in this contest, extracting only two wickets. They should work on their weaknesses before the next game and return stronger.
Conversely, Southern Brave bowlers wreaked havoc in the latter half of the innings and chipped in with wickets at regular intervals. Leus du Plooy’s poor form of run is a concern for Brave and the southpaw should work on his weaknesses. Overall, James Vince and his team ticked all the boxes and will aim to continue this impressive performance throughout The Hundred tournament.
Conclusion
Southern Brave have won two games on the trot and are sitting pretty on top of the points table with six points in three games. They need to keep this momentum going in the upcoming The Hundred matches and cement their place in the top four.
Conversely, Birmingham Phoenix failed to extend their winning streak to three matches. They are sixth on the points table with four points in as many games. Moeen Ali and Co. need to regroup and come back stronger in the upcoming match.
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