The Hundred women’s competition, Edgbaston
MI London 120-6 (100 balls): Henry 42 (33); Gray 2-29
Birmingham Phoenix 121-5 (94 balls): Perry 62* (39); Gordon 2-20
Birmingham Phoenix won by five wickets
Ellyse Perry hit a superb unbeaten half-century to lead Birmingham Phoenix to a five-wicket victory over MI London in The Hundred.
The Australia great finished on 62 not out from 39 balls as Phoenix, set 121 to win, got over the line with six balls to spare at Edgbaston.
It is just a second win of a difficult campaign for Phoenix but one that ensures they leapfrog MI London and avoid finishing bottom of the women’s table.
Having opted to chase, Phoenix were quickly on top as they reduced MI London to 29-3 and then 47-4, before a 57-run stand between West Indies’ Chinelle Henry and captain Hollie Armitage helped get the visitors up to 120-6.
It looked like being enough as Phoenix lost Alice Capsey and Emma Lamb in quick succession to slip to 48-4 in reply.
But Perry remained and the 35-year-old showed all of her class and experience to control the chase from there.
Fatima Sana provided the support Perry needed, scoring 36 from 32 in a fifth-wicket partnership of 66.
The Pakistan skipper couldn’t quite see it through and it was left to Perry, who hit seven fours and two sixes in a classy knock, to finish the job – drilling a four through mid-off to level the scores before winning it with a delicate scoop.
