England spinner Sophie Ecclestone claimed 3-8 from her 20 balls in a superb display, with seamer Kate Cross claiming 2-14 to start the Phoenix collapse; Birmingham bowled out for 104 off the final ball in pursuit of Manchester Originals’ 122-6 batting first
Last Updated: 28/08/22 6:25pm
Kate Cross dismissed both Birmingham Phoenix openers to set Manchester Originals on their way to victory
Birmingham Phoenix failed to book their spot in The Hundred play-offs as they succumbed to an 18-run defeat to Manchester Originals, who in turn stay in the hunt for a top-three spot with a game to go.
Story of the match
Birmingham would have guaranteed their passage through to the knockouts with victory in front of their home fans at Edgbaston but, chasing 123 to win, they came up well short, bowled out for 104 off the final ball.
The Phoenix chase got off to the worst possible start as the top-order suffered an almighty collapse. England pace bowler Kate Cross (2-14) saw off both openers, Eve Jones for a second-ball duck and skipper Sophie Devine for four.
Amy Jones (6) and Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry (5) also fell cheaply, and when England spinner Sophie Ecclestone (3-8) trapped Sophie Molineux lbw for three, the hosts were reeling at 22-5 after 34 balls.
Manchester Originals 122-6 from 100 balls – Lamb (30 off 21 balls), Burns (28 off 25 balls); Arlott (2-17 from 20 balls), Gordon (2-20 from 20 balls), Wong (1-13 from 15 balls)
Birmingham Phoenix 104 all out from 100 balls – Elwiss (32 off 25 balls), Wong (24 off 26 balls); Ecclestone (3-8 from 20 balls), Cross (2-14 from 20 balls), Jones (2-25 from 20 balls)
Georgia Elwiss (32) and Issy Wong (24) briefly rallied the innings with a 46-run stand but Birmingham never truly threatened their target as they slipped to their inevitable defeat, with the superb Ecclestone running through the tail late on.
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Earlier, opener Emma Lamb – who made her England Test and one-day international debuts earlier this summer – top-scored with 30 off 21 balls in the Originals’ total of 122-6.
Lamb and South African big-hitter Lizelle Lee (20 off 16) shared in a 53-run partnership off just 35 balls that promised a greater score for the visitors, but only Erin Burns (28 off 25) and Ecclestone (20 off 14) really capitalised off the platform provided.
It still proved to be more than enough, however, for Manchester to secure their second win of the women’s competition. They need a third in their final game, and a few other results to go their way, to earn a play-off spot.
What’s next?
Trent Rockets and Welsh Fire are next to meet in The Hundred in a Bank Holiday Monday double-header.
Rockets vs Welsh Fire
August 29, 2022, 3:00pm
Live on 
The Fire finally earned a first win in the women’s competition, at the fifth time of asking against Northern Superchargers on Friday, while it is the last chance for the men to get a first win on the board in their final group game. The Rockets women will move into the top three with a victory, while the men will confirm their place in the play-offs with one.
Rockets vs Welsh Fire
August 29, 2022, 6:45pm
Live on 
The women are up first from 3.30pm, with the men to follow from 7pm. Both games are live on Sky Sports The Hundred and Sky Sports Mix and are also available for free via live streams on skysports.com, the Sky Sports App and the Sky Sports Cricket YouTube channel.
As for the Phoenix and Originals, their final group games are at the London Spirit and against the Oval Invincibles on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.
Watch every match from The Hundred this summer live on Sky Sports.
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