Ellyse Perry’s unbeaten 68 rescues Birmingham Phoenix at Edgbaston.
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Perry’s Nerve Ends Phoenix Drought
There are innings, and there are innings, and Ellyse Perry provided the latter for a desperate Birmingham Phoenix side on Saturday, steering her team to a nail-biting one-run victory over Welsh Fire in Women’s Hundred 2026.
Fire Set The Target
After being asked to bat by hosts Birmingham Phoenix, Welsh Fire made a flying start to their innings, with Georgia Voll posting a composed 78 off 55 balls to help them post a formidable total of 144 for 3. Voll played a cautious opening stint with Ella McCaughan before accelerating against the spinners, while Sophie Devine contributed a late surge.
Shaky Phoenix Start
Birmingham Phoenix, chasing a victory, had a shaky start to their innings, losing opener Davina Perrin inside the first five balls. Tammy Beaumont also failed to capitalise on a reprieve on 10 before falling to a lovely catch by Heather Graham, leaving the struggling side perilous at 2-2.
Capsey And Perry Respond
That’s when Alice Capsey and Ellyse Perry came together for the third wicket, with both women launching into a stunning 86-ball stand for the third wicket. Capsey, in particular, was scintillating as she raced to a 29-ball half-century with a barrage of well-driven boundaries, while Perry remained steady as her captain.
Nerves Creep In
However, nerves soon got the better of the pair when Capsey, chasing a difficult single, missed a well-judged third bounce and was left stranded, hitting a high catch to Graham. Annerie Dercksen was then brought on as captain Heather Graham grew increasingly frustrated with the increasing required run rate as they reached 10 needed from three balls.
Perry Seals It
Again, it was Perry who came to the rescue, this time with a wealth of experience from a previous World Cup final. She steered the momentum as she hit ten runs from the last two deliveries to see her team home with a single ball to spare, sealing a stunning victory.
Star Power In Stands
As a minority shareholder in the franchise, Jude Bellingham was able to enjoy the sights from the stands as his team registered a rare victory this season, one he’s sure to be relishing given his crossover appeal.
What Perry Said
“I think we’ve been through a lot this season, and we were really buoyed by that positive response today.
We knew that if we were going to win, we had to be good at the top of the order and have good partnerships. We’ve always had fun regardless of results, but I think challenges like this are what we thrive on.
It’s important for us to put that winning feeling back in the team at the moment,” said Perry, who was named Player of the Match for her efforts.
A Timely Turnaround
Having sat bottom of the group with just two points from their opening two games, this win over Welsh Fire, currently 11th in the table, was arguably more crucial for Birmingham Phoenix than it was for their opponents. With a potent top-order and a captain who can always be relied upon to deliver when it matters most, they’ll be hoping this is the turning point in a frustrating campaign.
Meanwhile, Welsh Fire will be left to rue their near-miss as they searched for their second win of the campaign, sitting in 12th place. With just two points, they’re likely to need multiple victories in their remaining fixtures. However, the win against Phoenix will give them confidence that they can compete with the league’s elite teams.
Saturday’s encounter was always likely to be a thriller, but few expected the fireworks that actually unfolded. With a packed crowd at Edgbaston and Bellingham in the stands, it was a match that had everything. As for Perry, the veteran was simply enjoying the moment. “We really needed this win, so I’m delighted for everyone.
I’ve had some amazing opportunities in my career, and it was special to share that with the fans,” Perry said.
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