Captain Ellyse Perry guided Birmingham Phoenix Women to an impressive victory in their final outing of the Hundred in 2026 as her unbeaten knock of 62 thwarted MI London at Edgbaston.
Perry, who averages an incredible 100 at Edgbaston this year, arrived at the crease with the Phoenix 16/2 and, after a difficult powerplay, the Australian great guided her side to the target of 121 following an excellent bowling display having chosen to field first.
Lauren Filer made the key early breakthrough when, in a failed attempt to ramp, Kira Chathli was trapped LBW for 1. The Phoenix bowling unit continued to prove particularly disciplined as a collective and MI London struggled in the powerplay to score at more than a run a ball.
That forced the visitors into playing a series of risky shots which didn’t bear fruit; Davina Perrin took a terrific diving catch in front of the Hollies stand when Hayley Matthews looked to go big off Fatima Sana and departed for 21.
Then captain Ellyse Perry took a simple catch at mid-off to dismiss Melie Kerr for a golden duck and give Phoebe Brett her first Phoenix wicket. Brett’s figures were particularly impressive - she finished with 1/16 from her 20 balls, which included 10 dots.
When Eva Gray, who had been restored to the side, bowled Alice Monaghan, MI London found themselves in a sticky situation at 47/4.
Middle order batter Chinelle Henry (42 from 33 balls) did stay with captain Hollie Armitage and the pair put on 56 for the fifth wicket, before Henry drove Alana King into the safe hands of Perry.
Gray then claimed her second wicket with the final ball of the innings when Armitage holed out to Alice Capsey in the deep and the Phoenix were left requiring 121 for victory.
They did lose opener Jemima Spence early on, and Perrin’s innings proved short-lived too - although not before she had produced a remarkable one-handed reverse sweep past keeper Chathli for four.
Having lost the opening pair, the Phoenix needed to stabilise their innings in pursuit of their target, but they lost Capsey too when she succumbed to former Phoenix star Kirstie Gordon.
Perry, though, led the way; she hit one gorgeous lofted straight drive for six and accompanied that effort with three fours in the space of just six deliveries.
When the in-form Emma Lamb was trapped in front by Kerr, the Phoenix - now four down - still needed 73 from 65 balls.
Sana proved to be the middle order foil for Perry that the Phoenix were after. The Pakistan international complemented her skipper with a very composed knock of 36 and contributed six boundaries of her own along the way.
Perry brought up her 50 - her second of the competition after her match-winning 68 not out against Trent Rockets earlier in the campaign - in 31 balls and kept the big-hitting coming as the Phoenix raced to the finish and their target, chased down with five wickets to spare and six balls remaining.
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