Cricket

Phoenix Halts Superchargers’ Winning Streak in The Hundred

August 7, 2024

Source: X/Twitter

Birmingham Phoenix thumped Northern Superchargers by ten wickets in The Hundred. Batting first, Superchargers were skittled for a paltry 83 runs in 96 balls, courtesy of Adam Milne (3/20) and Tim Southee’s (3/15) bowling brilliance. Phoenix surpassed the score in a dominant batting display with 61 balls to spare, thanks to Ben Duckett (43* off 20) and Moeen Ali’s (37* off 21) solid opening stand.

Match Summary

Toss: Harry Brook (NOS) won the toss and opted to bat.
Northern Superchargers Innings:83/10 in 96 balls
- Harry Brook: 15 (14)
- Nicholas Pooran: 11 (12)
- Key Bowler: Tim Southee (3/15) in 20 balls

Birmingham Phoenix Innings: 161/7 in 100 balls
- Ben Duckett: 43* (20)
- Moeen Ali: 37* (21)
- Key Bowler: Ben Stokes (0/17) in 10 balls

Key Moments

Southee Draws the First Blood

The Kiwi pacer shared the new ball along with his compatriot Adam Milne and made an immediate impact. Southee trapped Matthew Short for just four runs on his first ball of the match and provided an early breakthrough for his side. He finished his spell with impressive figures of 3/15 in 20 balls.

Ben Stokes Departs for a Golden Duck

Instant impact from Tim Southee 😮⚡️

This is a HUGE moment in the match for Birmingham Phoenix! 🎳#TheHundred | #RoadToTheEliminator pic.twitter.com/9WV2T2eAT6

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— The Hundred (@thehundred) August 6, 2024

England’s red-ball captain featured in The Hundred event for the first time since the 2021 event but unfortunately failed to make any impact. Stokes came out to open the innings for the Superchargers but was at the non-striker’s end for the first 20 balls and was clean-bowled by Southee for a golden duck on the 21st ball of the match.

Milne’s Bowling Brilliance

The right-arm pacer started the proceedings with the new ball for the Phoenix and derailed the Superchargers’ batting with his bowling prowess. Teaming up with his compatriot Southee, he extracted three crucial wickets, bundling out the Superchargers for 83 runs in 96 balls. Milne finished his spell with figures of 3/20 in 20 balls.

Phoenix Dominant Batting Display

In pursuit of a paltry 83 runs, Ben Duckett and Moeen Ali spearheaded the innings for the Phoenix and pummeled the Superchargers all around the park from the outset. Duckett smashed an unbeaten 43 runs off 20 balls, while Moeen contributed an unbeaten 37 runs off 21 balls, helping the Phoenix win by 10 wickets with 61 balls to spare.

Implications and Future Prospects

Northern Superchargers batters failed to stitch a significant partnership and lost wickets in clusters, resulting in getting bowled out for a mere total. Ben Stokes, Matthew Short, and Nicholas Pooran must contribute in the top order and lay a good foundation with the bat. Superchargers bowlers looked clueless against Phoenix openers and conceded 86 runs in just 39 balls, highlighting an area of improvement.

Conversely, Phoenix completely outplayed their opponents to register a massive win. Moeen Ali, who struggled in the first four innings, opened the innings in this contest, and the ploy worked for the Phoenix skipper. Moeen’s unbeaten 37 runs will boost his confidence, a positive sign for the Birmingham-based franchise. They will look to continue their impressive form in the upcoming The Hundred games.

Conclusion

Superchargers’ three-match winning streak has been halted by Moeen Ali’s team. Harry Brook’s side is now number four on the points table, with this massive loss denting their net run rate (-0.917). They need to regroup and come back stronger in the next game to return to winning ways.

On the flip side, Phoenix moves to number three on the points table with six points from five games. They will aim to continue winning and cement their place in the top three of the ongoing The Hundred competition.

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