David Wiese and Adam Lyth end Birmingham Phoenix’s unbeaten home record
An exceptional all-round display from David Wiese and a quickfire Adam Lyth half-century helped Northern Superchargers end Birmingham Phoenix Men’s unbeaten home record in front of a packed house at Edgbaston.
Wiese smashed 34 off just 14 balls, including four sixes, to propel the visitors to a solid total of 169 for six batting first. The Namibia international then claimed exceptional figures of three for 15 as the Phoenix fell 33 runs short.
Opener Lyth had earlier set a platform for Wiese’s onslaught by smashing an exhilarating 26-ball half-century, while Adam Hose added an unbeaten 53, to get Superchargers off to a flier and silence a bumper crowd of 21,014.
Phoenix’s chase faltered with the engine room of Will Smeed, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone and Matthew Wade all falling cheaply inside the first 50 deliveries of their reply.
It was likely to be an uphill battle to defend their flawless home streak from that point, and so it proved as the efforts of Wiese and Lyth were enough to see the Superchargers become the first visiting men’s team to win at Edgbaston since The Hundred’s inception.
Yorkshireman Lyth wasted little time in getting started. After a quiet opening set bowled by Moeen, the former England Test opener swung Australia seamer Kane Richardson for three consecutive boundaries.
No bowler seemed safe. Livingstone’s first two deliveries were both dispatched for four in identical fashion, while even one of the competition’s form bowlers Benny Howell was hoicked into the Hollies Stand for a maximum.
Things then got a little trickier for the Superchargers.
The return of Moeen into the attack bought “Super Moeen Ali” chants ringing out wholesale across Edgbaston, and straight away the all-rounder worked his magic to clean bowl Lyth.
Dangerman Harry Brook went for just three not long after thanks to a grab at backward point by Imran Tahir, before David Willey and John Simpson both fell for single figures in quick succession too, leaving Superchargers teetering somewhat at 99 for five.
Hose and Wiese rebuilt strongly, however, and put on 47 for the sixth wicket in quick time.
The latter struck four trademark hammer blows over the rope before falling to the guile of Richardson. A late flurry from Hose bought him to a 32-ball half-century in the final set of the Superchargers innings, helping his side set Phoenix 170 to win.
In reply, Phoenix openers Smeed and Miles Hammond flew out of the blocks to rack up 44 off 20 balls inside the powerplay. But when the competition’s first ever centurion holed out to Faf du Plessis for 15, it sparked a collapse.
First Livingstone fell for five, then Moeen went for one. Adil Rashid got Wade caught behind shortly after, and from that point on the result felt much like a foregone conclusion.
Two Superchargers bowlers – Wiese and Rashid – ended the day with economy rates under one a ball, conceding just two boundaries between them from their 40 deliveries, to suffocate a Phoenix outfit built around clearing the ropes regularly.
Latest
-
County Cricket
Surrey stars eager to help Alec Stewart sign off with more silverware
Stewart has guided Surrey to three County Championship wins during his decade in charge.
-
Women's Cricket
Maia Bouchier smashes 91 as England Women seal T20 series victory
England made 177 for three and then restricted New Zealand to 130 for seven.
-
County Cricket
Yorkshire boosted by Harry Brook and Joe Root’s early-season availability
Both players are not at the Indian Premier League.
-
England
Ollie Pope ‘itching’ to get back scoring runs after ‘frustrating’ tour of India
The England vice-captain hit a superb 196 in Hyderabad, but averaged only 14.75 in the next four Tests of the India series.
-
Women's Cricket
Ellyse Perry says Ashes Test at MCG ‘amazing’ but unsure about four-day return
Australia will host England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the Women’s Ashes early next year.
-
County Cricket
Harry Brook set to return for start of Yorkshire’s County Championship campaign
Brook withdrew from England’s Test tour of India in January due to personal reasons.
-
England
England spinner Tom Hartley expects his exploits in India to be ‘life changing’
Hartley’s second-innings haul of seven for 62 in Hyderabad delivered one England’s greatest ever overseas victories.
-
Women's Cricket
Heather Knight urges more composure from England after New Zealand collapse
The tourists needed just 29 from 29 balls with eight wickets in hand.
-
Australia
On this day in 2018: Australia ‘sandpapergate’ ball-tampering controversy erupts
The incident led to Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft being banned from playing for Australia.
-
England
Andrew Flintoff would be excellent England coach – Rob Key
The former national team captain will lead Northern Superchargers in The Hundred this summer.