Birmingham Phoenix Women Triumph by 16 runs Over Manchester Originals

When Birmingham Phoenix Women won the toss and chose to bat first, they knew they were walking onto a pitch that looked like it might give the bowlers an edge early on and it proved well as the match was a classic one for the fans.

Birmingham Phoenix Women’s Innings

The Phoenix openers, Georgia Voll and captain Ellyse Perry, stepped out with a plan to play cautiously, but that plan unraveled almost immediately. On just the fourth ball, Mahika Gaur, a young left-arm seamer with a knack for early breakthroughs, struck a blow. Voll, trying to feel her way into the game, edged a good-length ball straight to Alice Monaghan at slip. She was gone for a duck, and Phoenix was 0/1, staring down a long road ahead.

Ellyse Perry gets to her 5️⃣0️⃣ in style! 🤩#TheHundred | #RoadToTheEliminator pic.twitter.com/5b1gakQXGu

— The Hundred (@thehundred) August 24, 2025

Emma Lamb strode in to join Perry, the pair tasked with steadying a ship that had barely left the dock. The Originals’ bowlers, sensing blood, kept things tight, offering no easy runs. Lamb, usually so composed, couldn’t quite find her rhythm against a disciplined attack. She scratched out 6 runs off 6 balls, but her stay ended abruptly on the 24th ball when Sophie Ecclestone, the world-class spinner, got one to grip and turn. Lamb’s tentative prod was snapped up by Deandra Dottin in the covers, and Phoenix slumped to 15/2. The run rate was crawling, barely above a run per ball, and the pressure was mounting to rebuild without losing more ground.

Perry, leading from the front, took it upon herself to anchor the innings. She was joined by wicketkeeper Amy Jones, who promised to bring some spark to the crease. But Jones’ cameo was over almost before it began. Deandra Dottin, switching from fielding hero to bowling menace, sent down a fiery delivery on the 27th ball. Jones, trying to force the pace, miscued a shot and was caught by Mahika Gaur for just 2 runs off 3 balls. At 17/3, Phoenix were in deep trouble, with the Originals’ bowlers dictating terms. Gaur, Ecclestone, and Dottin had each bagged a wicket, and their tight lines left the Phoenix batters with little room to breathe.

Enter Sterre Kalis, who walked out with the weight of a faltering innings on her shoulders. What followed was a masterclass in partnership-building. Perry, with her wealth of experience, played with the composure of a seasoned campaigner, picking singles and finding gaps while occasionally unleashing her power. Kalis, less heralded but no less determined, brought a calm aggression to the crease, complementing Perry perfectly. Together, they stitched an unbeaten 94-run stand for the fourth wicket, turning the tide and giving Phoenix a fighting chance.

Perry’s unbeaten 55 off 48 balls was the heartbeat of the innings. She struck five crisp fours and launched two massive sixes, blending caution with calculated aggression to finish with a strike rate of 114.58. She was particularly harsh on Kathryn Bryce, who struggled to contain her, conceding 31 runs in her 20 balls, including those two sixes that soared into the stands. Kalis, meanwhile, played the supporting role to perfection, finishing not out on 43 off 39 balls. Her innings included four fours and one six, with a strike rate of 110.25 that earned her the Player of the Match award.

The Originals’ bowling unit had started brilliantly. Mahika Gaur was outstanding, conceding just 5 runs in her 15 balls while removing Voll. Deandra Dottin was equally stingy, giving away only 4 runs in her 10 balls and dismissing Jones. Sophie Ecclestone, the spin wizard, bowled with her usual precision, leaking 21 runs in her 20 balls and taking out Lamb. But as the Perry-Kalis partnership grew, the Originals ran out of answers. Kathryn Bryce and Amelia Kerr were taken apart, conceding 31 and 28 runs respectively, while Lauren Filer struggled, giving away 17 runs in her 15 balls without a wicket.

Birmingham Phoenix score 111 runs in Manchester! 📍#TheHundred | #RoadToTheEliminator pic.twitter.com/OpXkd2WXRE

— The Hundred (@thehundred) August 24, 2025

Phoenix’s total was boosted by 5 extras which helped them reach a competitive 111/3 in their 100 balls, at a run rate of 1.11 per ball. The early overs had been tough, with just three boundaries in the first 25 balls, but Perry and Kalis changed the game in the second half, contributing 10 boundaries and three sixes overall.

Manchester Originals Women’s Innings

Chasing 112 in 100 balls, Manchester Originals Women needed a strong start to keep the pressure off their middle order. Instead, they had a nightmare. Birmingham Phoenix’s bowlers, led by the relentless Megan Schutt, came out firing, and the Originals’ top order crumbled like a house of cards. The powerplay was a disaster, producing just 15 runs for the loss of four wickets, leaving the chase in tatters early on.

It's all Birmingham Phoenix right now! 🫢#TheHundred | #RoadToTheEliminator pic.twitter.com/mDgnyTJsTa

— The Hundred (@thehundred) August 24, 2025

It started with a freak dismissal. Kathryn Bryce was run out for a duck without facing a ball, caught napping by a brilliant throw from Emma Lamb and sharp work behind the stumps by Amy Jones on the third ball. Beth Mooney, the Originals’ captain and star wicketkeeper-batter, was next to go, trapped by Megan Schutt for a duck off 4 balls in the 8th ball, with Marie Kelly taking a simple catch. At 5/2, the Originals were reeling, and the Phoenix bowlers were circling.

Alice Monaghan and Amelia Kerr tried to dig their team out of the hole, but the pressure was unrelenting. Monaghan managed 4 runs off 9 balls before Em Arlott struck in the 19th ball, with Perry pouching a catch. Two balls later, Kerr, who had briefly flickered with 9 runs off 7 balls, including two fours, fell to Phoebe Brett, caught by Arlott. At 14/4 after 21 balls, the Originals were in a deep, dark hole, their top order blown away by Phoenix’s precision and aggression.

Seren Smale and Deandra Dottin offered a sliver of hope, putting on 17 runs for the fifth wicket. Dottin, a powerhouse known for her big hitting, scored 13 off 16 balls, including a six that briefly raised Originals’ spirits. But Hannah Baker ended her resistance in the 46th ball, with Ailsa Lister taking the catch. Smale fought on, grafting 29 off 34 balls with three fours, but her dismissal in the 91st ball, caught by Brett off Schutt, was the final nail in the Originals’ coffin.

The middle order kept collapsing. Fi Morris was run out for 9 off 11 balls in the 69th ball, thanks to a pinpoint hit from Perry. Sophie Ecclestone, expected to be a game-changer, managed just 1 off 2 balls before being run out in the 74th ball. The Originals limped to 50 runs in 67 balls, but the required rate was soaring, and wickets were falling too fast to mount a comeback. Lauren Filer provided a late spark, finishing unbeaten on 19 off 11 balls with three fours and a strike rate of 172.72. But it was too little, too late. Danielle Gregory fell for a duck off 1 ball, caught by Jones off Schutt, and Mahika Gaur was run out for 6 off 5 balls on the final delivery. The Originals were bowled out for 95 in their 100 balls, falling 16 runs short at a run rate of 0.95 per ball.

Megan Schutt was the star with the ball, finishing with 3/14 in her 20 balls, including the scalps of Mooney, Smale, and Gregory. Her economy of 0.70 runs per ball, with 13 dot balls, was a masterclass in pressure bowling. Phoebe Brett backed her up with 1/11 in 20 balls, while Em Arlott and Hannah Baker each took a wicket, conceding 18 and 13 runs respectively. Georgia Voll and Emma Lamb, tried as part-time bowlers, were less effective, leaking 23 and 14 runs without success.

Congratulations to our Meerkat Match Heroes! 🏅

👏 @Comparethemkt #TheHundred | #RoadToTheEliminator pic.twitter.com/b0h2zBOiVf

— The Hundred (@thehundred) August 24, 2025

The Originals’ innings included 5 extras (2 leg byes, 3 wides), but their batting never found rhythm, managing just nine fours and one six. Phoenix’s bowlers, backed by three sharp run-outs, kept the screws tight, ensuring the chase was out of reach.

TCNI’s Magic Moment of the Game

In a match that swung back and forth, Ellyse Perry delivered the defining moment for Birmingham Phoenix Women. Her unbeaten 55 off 48 balls, with a strike rate of 114.58, was the cornerstone of their 111/3 in 100 balls. Coming in after Georgia Voll’s duck, Emma Lamb’s 6, and Amy Jones’ 2, Perry faced a crisis. Her innings, laced with five fours and two sixes, was a blend of grit and flair.

That's another 5️⃣0️⃣ for Ellyse Perry in #TheHundred! 🩷#RoadToTheEliminator pic.twitter.com/73KmhMOWtd

— The Hundred (@thehundred) August 24, 2025

Partnering with Sterre Kalis, who scored an unbeaten 43, Perry built a 94-run stand that turned the game. Against tight bowling from Mahika Gaur (5 runs in 15 balls) and Sophie Ecclestone, her ability to find boundaries and keep the scoreboard moving was pure class, setting a target that proved just enough.

TCNI’s Hero of the Day

Megan Schutt was the undeniable hero, delivering a bowling performance that broke the Manchester Originals Women. Her 3/14 in 20 balls, at an economy of 0.70, was devastating. She dismissed Beth Mooney for a duck early, then removed Seren Smale (29) and Danielle Gregory (0), ripping through the Originals’ lineup.

With 13 dot balls, Schutt strangled the scoring, ensuring the Originals managed only 95 in their 100 balls. Supported by Phoebe Brett and Em Arlott, her precision and wicket-taking nous were the difference, securing Phoenix’s 16-run win and cementing her as the match’s standout performer.