Nat Sciver-Brunt's fighting 64 was in vain as Trent Rockets went down to Birmingham Phoenix by 11 runs in their season opener at Edgbaston. Opting to bat first, the hosts rode on Emma Lamb's 55 and lower-order cameos to post a competitive 148 on the board. Sciver-Brunt anchored the chase for the better part but failed to find consistent support at the other end to take her team over the line.
WOMEN'S HUNDRED
Women's Hundred: Birmingham Phoenix off to a winning start
Emma Lamb's fifty helped the hosts beat Trent Rockets by 11 runs © Getty
Georgia Voll hit three boundaries in her 16-ball stay for 19 as the openers put on 37, post which Lamb took charge. She found the fence nine times during the course of her 32-ball knock as she dominated her 50-run partnership with Ellyse Perry.
A mini collapse followed where Phoenix lost four wickets, including the set second-wicket pair, for just 24 runs in the space of 20 deliveries. That's when Marie Kelly (23 not out off 10) and Ailsa Lister (21 not out off 17) launched a flurry of boundaries - seven of them between them - to help their side finish with a worthy total.
Bryony Smith helped Rockets get off to a flying start - making 29 off 19 in the 35-run opening stand with Grace Scrivens. The openers fell four balls apart, triggering a collapse as Rockets slid to 70/4 in 54 balls with Sciver-Brunt holding one end. The England captain went on to score a half-century, and fought till the 96th delivery with her 40-ball 64. She hit as many as eight fours and a six, but regular wickets at the other end never allowed her the momentum to mount a successful chase as the team eventually fell 11 short.
Brief scores: Birmingham Phoenix 148/5 in 100 balls (Emma Lamb 55, Marie Kelly 23*; Alana King 2-30) beat Trent Rockets 137/6 in 100 balls (Nat Sciver-Brunt 64, Bryony Smith 29;Hannah Baker 2-18, Em Arlott 2-38) by 11 runs
© Cricbuzz
