Phoenix vs Rockets, 28th Match at Birmingham, Women's Hundred, Aug 12 2024 - Ball by Ball Commentary

There's the game! Lobbed up outside off, she is firmly rooted back in her crease, shuffles across her stumps and plays a delectable sweep past fine leg for a four; what an outstanding shot, cuts the tension with an innovative shot; backed herself and got the desired result. What an engrossing fierce battle that went down to the wire. Credit to Phoenix to fight back till the end and creating tremendous pressure.

Starts with a dot, can't cut that one away, ball dances past the outside edge

Slow dipping yorker, belts it down towards Arlott and mid-off cuts it off, pinches a run again

On a full length at the toes, off the shoe to cover and they sneak a bye, sets off for a quick single

What a yorker; slowish and swoops like a falling start at middle and leg, somehow dug out to short cover and they manage to sneak a run, shy at keeper's end; Rockets backing themselves to deal in single, not able to bowl in the cut-off time so one fielder comes inside the circle

The crowd are excited and watching keenly; slower length ball dipping in at middle, bunts it to short midwicket and scurries through a run

Tennis ball teasing bumper wagging away outside off, tries to pick the bones out of that and only connects with fresh air, crucial dot; Arlott holds her nerve, 7 needed

Over the wicket, that could be a no-ball, high full-toss at middle, she is surprised by the full-bunger and pulls it straight into the hands of short midwicket who times her jump perfectly and snaffles it well. Third umpire is taking a look, well she came out of her crease and still it's a no-ball, chest height at the point of impact. Pendulum swings again! I'm sure there will be debate about this no-ball call, she was way down the track but it's the judgment of umpire that matters. Massive moment in the game

Length and sliding on towards middle and leg, can't clip that one away and she's disappointed with herself

Gets down low and sweeps it across the line to deep backward square for a couple, in single digits now, just nine required

Tossed up, stumps to stumps line, forced down to mid-off and gets a scampered single, shy at striker's end

Gone! Stumps askew! Phoenix on the driver's seat now. Dramatic turnaround in a matter of few sets. Back of a length and scudding off the surface, drifts in and beats her ambitious swing towards midwicket, wanted to boom that one, can't fault her choice of shot because they need boundaries, not much batting left now

Round the wicket, quicker on back of a length at an irksome off-stump line, tickles it to deep fine and rushes back for the second,

Looped up and curled away outside off from a full-length, slammed away to sweeper cover and that's a fabulous acrobatic tumbling save in the deep, certainly saved a boundary

Touch short and spins across off, makes room and crashes a cut to deep backward point, Rockets need a boundary off the last ball

Length and spins away from off, squirted away to cover for a run

Another fuller one, can't get fully under it, whips it away somehow into the acreage at midwicket

Speared in full at the base of the stumps, shields it with a punch down the ground

What a stunning set; showed full range and all her bag of tricks; such a clever customer. Ruses her with a slow yorker and she is unable to flick it away. Marvelous bowling. Will Perry bring herself back into the attack?

Precious dot. Spiteful short ball with a tinge of away seam movement wide of off, climbs fiercely off the deck, tries to pull it across the line and only grabs fresh air. This game is very much alive