Jess Jonassen finally gets Welsh Fire off the mark with first win

Welsh Fire claimed their first win of the Hundred's fifth season at the sixth time of asking as Aussie allrounder Jess Jonassen inspired them to a comprehensive victory over Birmingham Phoenix at Edgbaston to end their hosts' slim hopes of progressing to the Eliminator.

Fire, last year's runners-up, were playing for pride after five straight defeats extinguished their hopes of a top-three finish and they produced comfortably their best performance of the campaign so far, Jonassen delivering fireworks with the bat before returning figures of 3 for 24.

The omens didn't look good for Fire when Tammy Beaumont was bowled for 2 by a trademark inswinger from Megan Schutt, but a second-wicket stand of 71 between Sophia Dunkley (53 from 43) and Hayley Matthews, (34 not out from 33) laid strong foundations.

Dunkley's failed attempt at a sweep shot saw her bowled by Hannah Baker to leave Fire 99 for 2 before Jonassen upped the ante with a powerful knock of 44 from 17 balls. The experienced left-hander was particularly brutal against Baker, hitting four consecutive sixes in the legspinner's final set to propel Fire to 150 for 3.

In reply the Phoenix made a stuttering start, Shabnim Ismail (3 for 16) producing a beauty to castle Emma Lamb for a second-ball duck before trapping Marie Kelly lbw two deliveries later.

Australian duo Georgia Voll (29 from 18) and Ellyse Perry (53 from 43) gave the innings impetus but Jonassen made another crucial intervention, bowling Voll with a nicely flighted delivery which deceived her compatriot in the air.

Amy Jones swiftly followed, bowled by Matthews for a golden duck, before Perry gave the Phoenix a glimmer of hope, registering her first half-century of this summer's competition.

Sterre Kalis (15 from 16) briefly flickered, hitting Jonassen for a straight six, but she had her revenge two balls later when Kalis holed out to Ismail at long-on, and Ailsa Lister fell in identical fashion soon after to give her a third.

Ismail returned to see off Perry, dismissed by a low catch from Georgia Elwiss at mid-off, and Matthews (3-21) did further damage as the Phoenix eventually limped to 114 for 9, slipping to the bottom of the table after suffering their fifth defeat in six.

"We've been searching for a win all season. It's nice that things clicked today," Jonassen said. "We were probably just letting ourselves down a little with the bat, more so than anything, and it's really nice we got a win today but with things still to improve on for the remaining matches. We're really looking forward to getting back to Cardiff for our next game."