James Vince's 90 not out puts Brave top as Phoenix implode at home
Phoenix lose 6 for 12 in 25 balls as Ben Duckett's 92 goes in vain
ECB Media
03-Aug-2024 • 1 hr ago
James Vince creams one through the covers • Nathan Stirk/ECB via Getty Images
Southern Brave 169 for 2 (Vince 90*, Pollard 38*, Davies 30) beat Birmingham Phoenix 137 for 9 (Duckett 92, Jordan 3-19, Hosein 3-23) by 32 runs
Southern Brave went top of the table after a dramatic Birmingham Phoenix batting collapse at Edgbaston. Chasing 170 after James Vince's unbeaten 90, Phoenix were well-placed at 92 for 1 after 49 but then lost 6 for 12 in 25 balls to slip to defeat.
Both sides went into this match at Edgbaston with two wins from three, but Brave's 169 for 2 - the second-highest score of the season - proved more than enough, despite Ben Duckett's 92 for the Phoenix: none of his team-mates managed as many as 12.
After Phoenix captain Moeen Ali won the toss and opted to bowl, Vince and Alex Davies got the visitors off to a solid start, posting 31 off the Powerplay, and then putting the hammer down to reach 81 off 45 balls after one Sean Abbott set of five went for 22.
Davies was caught by Jacob Bethell off Benny Howell and Leus du Plooy could only muster nine off nine before he was also caught by Bethell, but from then on Vince and West Indian man mountain Kieron Pollard set about the bowling. Vince scored 90 from 47 balls with six fours and six sixes, and Pollard crashed 38 from 22.
In reply, it looked like Duckett had designs on winning the game on his own, racing to a 21-ball half century as Phoenix reached 92 for 1 from 49 balls and the game absolutely in the balance.
But ignited by a tight Chris Jordan set which culminated in Liam Livingstone slicing a high catch to du Plooy at point, Brave took five wickets for five runs in 18 balls to effectively seal the match, their stellar attack of Jordan, Craig Overton, Jofra Archer, Akeal Hosein and Tymal Mills proving too good.
While Duckett hit eight fours and five sixes, the rest of the side hit just four fours between them.
"It was a nice pitch, particularly up front," Vince said. "Their bowlers bowled well at the back end and it was tricky to get the ball away at the death. Chris Jordan was fantastic, and once we got into a rhythm, we squeezed them really well. It's a fantastic group of players and people are performing at the right times."