Image: London Spirit Women played an excellent game and secured the biggest victory in The Hundred / © ESPNCricinfo
The sun shone brightly over Edgbaston on August 17, 2025, as London Spirit Women won the toss and boldly chose to bat first in the 18th Match of The Hundred Women’s Competition against Birmingham Phoenix Women. Their decision sparked a thrilling display of batting prowess, culminating in a formidable 164 for 6 in their 100 balls. Kira Chathli’s explosive knock, backed by Grace Harris’s late fireworks and contributions from the lower order, set a daunting target. Despite early stumbles, the Spirit’s innings was a story of grit, flair, and relentless momentum, leaving the Phoenix with a mountain to climb.
The Spirit’s innings began with a shock. On just the third ball, Georgia Redmayne edged a probing delivery from Megan Schutt, and Amy Jones, sharp as ever behind the stumps, snapped up the catch. Redmayne’s duck silenced the Spirit’s dugout, and the Phoenix sensed an early advantage. But Kira Chathli strode out with fire in her eyes, determined to wrest back control. From her first ball, she played with audacious confidence, stroking boundaries with a mix of elegance and brute force. Her 69 off 35 balls was a masterpiece, laced with 13 fours that showcased her impeccable timing and placement.
Chathli’s strike rate of 197.14 set the tone, particularly in the Powerplay, where she guided the Spirit to 34 for 2 by the 25-ball mark despite another setback. That setback came when Cordelia Griffith, struggling to find fluency, fell for 9 off 12 balls. Em Arlott, the Phoenix’s standout bowler, delivered a pinpoint full-length ball that crashed into Griffith’s stumps, leaving the Spirit wobbling at 15 for 2.
Chathli, however, was undeterred. She found an able partner in Charli Knott, and the duo forged a vital 47-run stand for the third wicket. Knott’s 15 off 14 balls, with two crisp boundaries, provided stability while Chathli unleashed a barrage of shots. Their partnership pushed the run rate above 1.5 runs per ball, keeping the Phoenix bowlers under pressure. Arlott, though, struck again, removing Knott with a clever variation, halting the momentum momentarily.
Chathli continued to dominate, her blade flashing against Hannah Baker and Mary Taylor, who struggled to find answers. She reached her fifty with a glorious cover drive, raising her bat to an appreciative Edgbaston crowd. Her innings was a blend of calculated aggression and artistry, but it ended on 69 when Ellyse Perry, the Phoenix skipper, coaxed a mistimed lofted shot. Amy Jones took a diving catch, leaving the Spirit at 116 for 4 after 73 balls. The stage was set for Grace Harris to take charge, and she didn’t disappoint.
Harris walked in like a storm waiting to break. Her 34 off 15 balls was a whirlwind of power, featuring four fours and a towering six that sailed into the stands. She targeted Arlott and Taylor with ferocious intent, ensuring the Spirit’s run rate never dipped. Harris’s knock was a game-changer, but Arlott had the final say, trapping her lbw with a clever slower ball. Arlott’s 3 for 25 was the highlight of the Phoenix’s bowling effort, her accuracy and guile standing out on a tough day.
With Harris gone, Danielle Gibson and Issy Wong ensured the Spirit finished strongly. Gibson, unbeaten on 14 off 8 balls, played with composure, finding gaps with surgical precision. Wong, promoted for her power-hitting, smashed 12 off 10 balls, including two boundaries, before Schutt dismissed her. Sarah Glenn’s unbeaten 7 off 4 balls, with quick running and clever placement, added vital runs in the closing stages. The Spirit’s 164 for 6 was a testament to their depth and adaptability, recovering from early losses to post a total that screamed intent.
The Phoenix’s bowling effort was led by Arlott, whose three wickets kept them in the fight. Schutt’s 2 for 33 and Perry’s 1 for 26 provided support, but Hannah Baker’s 0 for 33 proved costly. Amy Jones was sharp behind the stumps, taking two catches, but the Phoenix’s fielding couldn’t prevent the Spirit from building partnerships. The Spirit’s run rate of 1.64 runs per ball and their ability to rebound from 15 for 2 showcased their batting firepower, setting the stage for a commanding bowling performance.
Chasing 165 in 100 balls, Birmingham Phoenix Women wilted under the pressure, collapsing to a dismal 76 all out in 79 balls. The 88-run defeat was the largest in The Hundred’s history, a testament to the London Spirit’s ruthless bowling and electric fielding. From the opening delivery to the final wicket, the Phoenix were outclassed, their batting lineup unable to cope with the Spirit’s disciplined attack. The Phoenix’s innings started with a jolt. Georgia Voll, looking to set a positive tone, fell for 8 off 8 balls in the 10th ball.
Issy Wong, bowling with pace and fire, induced a loose drive, and Kira Chathli held a sharp catch at cover. The early wicket set the tone for a nervy Powerplay, with the Phoenix limping to 34 for 2 after 25 balls. Emma Lamb tried to counterattack, striking four boundaries in her 23 off 13 balls, but her promising knock ended in disaster. A mix-up with Wong and Georgia Redmayne led to a run-out, with Redmayne’s direct hit shattering the stumps. Ellyse Perry, the Phoenix captain, never found her rhythm, scratching out 5 off 7 balls before Charli Knott struck. Eva Gray took a simple catch, leaving the Phoenix at 38 for 3 after 33 balls.
The middle order crumbled under the Spirit’s relentless pressure. Amy Jones, the wicketkeeper, fought for 10 off 15 balls but was undone by Charlie Dean’s cunning spin. Dean’s flighted delivery beat Jones’s defenses, rattling the stumps. Marie Kelly’s brief stay yielded 2 off 5 balls before Eva Gray trapped her lbw, a decision upheld after a tense review. Ailsa Lister, tasked with rebuilding, managed 4 off 7 before lofting a catch to Grace Harris off Bex Tyson’s bowling. At 50 runs after 49 balls, the required run rate had soared beyond 2 runs per ball, and the Phoenix were teetering on the brink.
Em Arlott, who had shone with the ball, showed some defiance with an unbeaten 10 off 13 balls, but the lower order collapsed around her. Mary Taylor’s brisk 4 off 2 balls ended in an lbw dismissal to Dean, with a review offering no reprieve. Megan Schutt fought briefly, scoring 9 off 8, but Gray’s pinpoint yorker sent her stumps cartwheeling. Hannah Baker’s day went from bad to worse, run out for a duck by a brilliant throw from the Spirit’s fielders. With Phoebe Brett absent hurt, the Phoenix’s innings folded at 76 in 79 balls, a meek surrender to the Spirit’s dominance.
The Spirit’s bowlers were a force of nature. Bex Tyson set the tone with 1 for 18 in 20 balls, her economy of 0.90 runs per ball choking the Phoenix’s scoring. Issy Wong was electric, conceding just 8 runs in 10 balls while dismissing Voll. Charlie Dean was the standout, her 2 for 16 showcasing her ability to outfox batters. Eva Gray matched Dean’s haul, taking 2 for 13 with her disciplined seam bowling. Charli Knott and Sarah Glenn were miserly, conceding 7 and 14 runs respectively, ensuring the Phoenix had no room to breathe. The fielding was razor-sharp, with Chathli and Redmayne effecting two run-outs that epitomised the Spirit’s intensity.
For the London Spirit Women, Em Arlott’s spellbinding bowling performance earned her TCNI’s Magic Moment of the Game. Despite playing for the losing side, Arlott’s 20-ball spell was a beacon of brilliance, conceding just 25 runs at an economy of 1.25 runs per ball, and her 8 dot balls kept the Spirit batters on a leash.
Her three wickets of Cordelia Griffith, Charli Knott, and Grace Harris disrupted crucial partnerships and Arlott’s dismissal of Harris, caught lbw with a cunning slower ball, was a turning point, curbing the Spirit’s late charge. With just one wide and three boundaries conceded, Arlott’s control and skill shone through, even in defeat.
In the Phoenix’s chase of 165, Eva Gray emerged as TCNI’s Hero of the Day with a match-defining bowling display for the London Spirit. Gray bowled 14 balls, conceding a miserly 13 runs at an economy of 0.92 runs per ball.
Her spell included four dot balls, stifling the Phoenix’s scoring and Gray’s two wickets of Marie Kelly, trapped lbw for 2 off 5 balls, and Megan Schutt, bowled for 9 with a searing yorker, broke the Phoenix’s middle order. Her composure and accuracy, conceding just one boundary, were pivotal in restricting the Phoenix to 76 in 79 balls, securing an 88-run victory for the Spirit.