Report: Phoenix Men v SunRisers Leeds Men

Birmingham Phoenix Men bowed out of The Hundred qualification reckoning on Friday evening as they fell to defeat at the hands of SunRisers Leeds at Edgbaston.

2026-08-07T21:40+01:00

The Headingley visitors got themselves up to 169 from their one hundred balls, with Usman Tariq (2/28) the pick of the Phoenix bowlers. In reply with the bat, the Phoenix could only manage 124/8.

Ryan Rickelton and Mitch Marsh got SunRisers, who had won the toss and decided to bat first, off to a flier and they were 52-0 before Australian international Marsh was clean bowled by Tariq, much to the delight of the vibrant Edgbaston crowd.

That brought England captain Harry Brook to the crease and, after one enormous six and a quick-fire 19, he too fell to the mystery spin of Tariq.

Rickelton remained and continued to find the rope with fluency; he struck six boundaries and cleared the rope three times on his way to 65, but the Phoenix prevented the visitors' middle order from getting in and contributing alongside the South African opener.

Captain Zak Crawley was brilliantly held in the deep by Mitch Owen to give Jordan Thompson his first Hundred wicket for the Phoenix and England batter Dan Lawrence holed out to Will Smeed to give Chris Wood a deserved wicket, too.

Matthew Revis was superbly run out by Phoenix skipper Donovan Ferreira, before wicket keeper Joe Clarke produced brilliantly similar to finally send Rickelton on his way.

When Brydon Carse fell to Tom Helm for a two-ball duck, there was only time for Liam Patterson-White to lift Thompson over the rope and the SunRisers consequently up to a total of 169.

The Phoenix looked to set an early tempo in their pursuit, but they lost Mitch Owen for 12 in the powerplay just as he was threatening to go big. Fellow opener Will Smeed shortly afterwards departed too, when he nicked Matthew Potts through to the keeper for nine and then Rehan Ahmed got out for a two-ball duck.

At 23-3, the Phoenix needed a big partnership. Joe Clarke and Sean Dickson put on 44 from 32 balls to give their side some momentum, but that was sadly cut short when Clarke couldn't get Abrar Ahmed away and was caught by Matthew Revis.

Dickson remained and, even after captain Fereira was removed prematurely for three, Thompson joined in the boundary-clearing antics.

Dickson and Thompson made things entertaining towards the end, before the former held on the boundary rope when going big again for 34, and the target of 170 proved just a little too much to reel in. Thompson remained unbeaten at the end on 25.