What a way to win it! Huge cheers from Edgbaston as Gleeson takes pace off - 71mph - and Livingstone yet again launches him into the stands over square leg! Livingstone has made light work of that and shares a bit of a chuckle with Gleeson.
Spirit vs Phoenix, 18th Match at Birmingham, Men's Hundred, Aug 17 2025 - Ball by Ball Commentary
RESULT
18th Match (D/N), Birmingham, August 17, 2025, The Hundred Men's Competition
126/6
(65/100 balls, T:127) 131/3
Phoenix won by 7 wickets (with 35 balls remaining)
New
BP-M
Full commentary
after 65 balls20 runs
BP-M: 131/3
Liam Livingstone45 (20b 1x4 5x6)
Jacob Bethell18 (8b 2x6)
Richard Gleeson 0/44 (15)
8:28pm Right then, what a way to finish. Not a close game, but fireworks nonetheless courtesy of LL. Phoenix move to sixth, improving their net run rate, though that is still at -0.425. They have a break now ahead of Welsh Fire on Friday. Spirit, meanwhile, will lick their wounds ahead of hosting Northern Superchargers at Lord's on Wednesday. That's all from us tonight, join us tomorrow for Southern Brave against Oval Invincibles.
8:24pm Liam Livingstone is the Meerkat Match Hero with his unbeaten 45 to go with 2 for 26: "Obviously we needed the win. The crowd are amazing, they get behind us every time we come out and play, so it's nice to get a win for them.
"On a pretty decent wicket, I don't think (our bowlers) missed a yorker at the end. They put us in a decent position and it was nice to finish it off with the bat."
8:20pm A second successive home win for Phoenix, a second successive captain's knock at Edgbaston from Livingstone to see his side over the line. He had help this time from Joe Clarke, who contributed 54 from 25 after Will Smeed was yorked second ball of the chase. They've knocked off a 127 target with 35 balls to spare!
Two to win...
64
6
Gleeson to Livingstone, SIX runs
And another! Astonishing... Pace on, short, long-handled on the pull deep into the stands. In fact, it's right off the toe, as he and Bethell marvel at the base of his bat and how it's not cracked. His fourth six of the innings.
63
2
Gleeson to Livingstone, 2 runs
Tight to the stumps, swiped across the line and saved from the boundary with a solid left-hand from Dickson! Turner gets the ricochet and hurls it in. Two taken
62
6
Gleeson to Livingstone, SIX runs
Another huge strike! In the slot, straight, slammed over the bowler's head!
61
•
Gleeson to Livingstone, no run
Excellent yorker, 85mph arrowing into middle and off, clamps down on that
Just 16 needed off 40... no need to risk Dawson, who is now making his way back around to the dugout after his brief return to the field following that right little finger dislocation. Richard Gleeson with the next five. Will it be done in this set?
CHANGE OF END
after 60 balls17 runs
BP-M: 111/3Need 16 from 40 balls
Liam Livingstone25 (15b 1x4 2x6)
Jacob Bethell18 (8b 2x6)
Olly Stone 0/29 (10)
60
1
Stone to Livingstone, 1 run
Length, sits up outside off stump, lashed down the ground... and brilliantly saved by Worrall diving to his right at long off
59
6
Stone to Livingstone, SIX runs
There he goes again! Slower ball, 70mph, length, Livingstone picks it early, steadies himself and muscles that over straight midwicket!
58
•
Stone to Livingstone, no run
Wide on the crease again, dug in short, Livingstone aborts his pull short as it's a little too sharp at 88mph
And with that, Livingstone moves to 13 sixes this season, out in front after Jordan Cox drew level with him on 12 thanks to 10 last night! New ball out of the box, presumably because someone's kept that ball...
57
6
Stone to Livingstone, SIX runs
Wowwweeeee! Length, sits up, sent deep into the Hollies Stand! Have these two got a 8:30pm reservation to make?
56
4
Stone to Livingstone, FOUR runs
Goes wide on the crease, full on the stumps, lashed away through midwicket! All along the floor, having stepped across onto off stump
Williamson asks Dawson about his hand. Seems to get the reply that it's ok but he's going to Olly Stone again, whose first 5 balls went for 12
after 55 balls15 runs
BP-M: 94/3Need 33 from 45 balls
Jacob Bethell18 (8b 2x6)
Liam Livingstone8 (10b)
Daniel Worrall 1/20 (11)
55
1
Worrall to Bethell, 1 run
Tighter to the stumps, flipped off the hip again, along the floor out to deep backward square
54
6
Worrall to Bethell, SIX runs
Back-to-back! Worrall drags his length back, but into the hop of Bethell who uses the 82mph to flip that over backward square leg with a short-arm jab
53
6
Worrall to Bethell, SIX runs
What a strike! Bethell makes room to leg, Worrall follows him with a full ball just outside leg stump, 79mph, and launched back over his head!
52
1
Worrall to Livingstone, 1 run
Wide on the crease, 82mph, lifts off a length, Livingstone knocks it on the head down into the leg side for quick single
Liam Dawson is back on the field, his right-hand heavily strapped
51
1
Worrall to Bethell, 1 run
Wide on the crease, full into middle and leg, driven nicely out to long on
40 from the last 50, feels like a formality barring any surprises... can Worrall provide it?
CHANGE OF END
after 50 balls11 runs
BP-M: 79/3Need 48 from 50 balls
Jacob Bethell4 (4b)
Liam Livingstone7 (9b)
Ashton Turner
0/11 (10)
50
1
Turner to Bethell, 1 run
Into the surface, sits up in front of off stump, driven out to long on
49
1
Turner to Livingstone, 1 run
Into the surface, hammered in the air out to Dickson who does brilliantly to run to his left from deep square leg, field and hurl back in on the spin
49
2w
Turner to Bethell, 2 wide
Full, drifting down leg, Bethell gets nothing on his sweep and takes the extra run to go with the wide
48
1
Turner to Livingstone, 1 run
Full, on off stump, lifted out to Wood who fields on the bounce
47
1
Turner to Bethell, 1 run
Flighted up, full on middle and off, driven out to wide long on
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