Birmingham lose to Welsh Fie in blow to playoff hopes as Steven Smith anchors Fire chase in 8-wicket victory.
At Edgbaston, Steven Smith led Welsh Fire to a resounding eight-wicket victory, leaving Birmingham Phoenix with a steep hill to climb in order to earn a spot in the Eliminator and maintain their own slim aspirations.
Steve Eskinazi broke the back of the chase with a 29-ball 42 before Smith (47 not out from 36) wrote a comprehensive victory. Fire, who had begun the evening at the bottom of the table, achieved their target of 139 with 11 balls remaining.
While Eskinazi and Jonny Bairstow (35 from 21) provided the fireworks at the other end, the Australian veteran played sensibly despite struggling for form in his debut season of the Hundred, scoring a top score of 29 in his first five runs.
Adam Milne was bowled by the Kiwi’s subsequent delivery after Bairstow hit him with a powerful six into the Hollies Stand, but captain Tom Abell got his team over the finish line with plenty of time left.
With multiple batsmen starting but none of them being able to seize the game by the scruff of the neck, Phoenix’s innings was a disorganised affair.
Will Smeed (23 from 17), Joe Clarke (24 from 12), and Liam Livingstone (16 from 9) all made striking strokes but were unable to get anything going after Australian speedster Riley Meredith cleaned up Ben Duckett for 5 with an inside edge.
Ben Kellaway returned figures of 2 for 10 from 15 deliveries, taking three catches and putting a run-out on a memorable debut in the Hundred, while Chris Green took 3 for 27 including the scalp of Bethell, caught at long-on in the final set. Jacob Bethell hit three sixes in his stylish knock of 38 from 28. However, Fire’s fingerspinners never let Phoenix cut loose.
Phoenix’s final score of 138 for 9 seemed below average, and Fire’s victory was their second of the season, moving them up to seventh place in the standings, eight points behind third with two games remaining. Phoenix is still in fifth place, with a higher net run rate than Fire.