Match 18, Birmingham, August 17, 2025, 10:30 PM
London Spirit
126/6(20.0ov)
Birmingham Phoenix
131/3(13.0ov)
Birmingham Phoenix beat London Spirit by 7 wickets
Best Batsmen
R
B
4S
6S
SR
Best Bowler
O
R
W
Econ
Man of the Match
Liam Livingstone
Commentry
Right then, that marks the end of another action-packed week in The Hundred, 2025 and on the Men's side, the table is really getting congested in the middle part. Birmingham Phoenix and Manchester Originals have both picked up their second wins of the season today and there are now 4 teams locked on 8 points each, paving the way for some thrilling action towards the end of the league phase. The new week begins with a clash between Southern Brave and Oval Invincibles in Southampton. The Women's clash will begin on Monday, 18 August at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT), with the Men's fixture scheduled to begin at 11 pm IST (5.30 pm GMT). You can join us a lot sooner for the build-up of both games as well. Till then, take care and goodbye!
Liam Livingstone is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his fine all-round display. Liam says that they needed a win and they had some confidence coming into the game and the crowd here gives them that extra lift. Adds that the bowlers were phenomenal and probably they didn't even miss a single yorker at the death. On Joe Clarke, Liam says that after losing an early wicket, it can be very easy to lose the tempo, but credits Joe for the way he batted and got them into a winning position. Mentions that this is a really big game and they are up against it but are looking to keep winning and improving that Net Run Rate.
The Presentation ceremony...
Earlier in the game, Birmingham Phoenix won the toss and opted to chase in front of their home crowd. The decision was well backed by their bowlers as Trent Boult knocked over Jamie Smith for a duck and skipper Liam Livingstone got ridof David Warner quickly too. Kane Williamson had to play an anchoring knock, something he seemed to do well enough but there was no intent from the other end. London Spirit kept losing wickets as their batters kept getting out after getting starts and the death bowling from Boult and Adam Milne was just too good.
London Spirit had an opportunity to pull away from the chasing pack and join the frontrunners up top with a win but it simply didn't work out and now they are in a messy battle with a few of the other teams. They started decently with the ball as Luke Wood got it to swing and knocked over Will Smeed as well. However, they didn't have much of an answer for the counter-attack from Joe Clarke. The game was quickly running away from them and their premier spinner, Liam Dawson even got injured after having bowled just 8 deliveries and they were unable to stem the flow of runs and were blown in next to no time.
Needing 127 for the win, Birmingham Phoenix had a few in-form batters but they lost one of those very early as Will Smeed departed for a duck. In came Joe Clarke and he made his intentions clear from the very first ball. Clarke played a nifty hand and brought up his half-century in a flash before getting out, but he had done the damage in a relatively low chase. With three wickets down, the Phoenix needed one decent stand and that's when Liam Livingstone and Jacob Bethell decided to just turn the strike over and keep the score ticking as they were already ahead. But, Bethell broke the shackles and then Liam just went berserk, finishing with an unbeaten 45 off just 20 balls that included 5 huge sixes.
Wow, well that was some hitting and Birmingham Phoenix are building a name for themselves in front of the home crowd this season. Skipper Liam Livingstone seems to be in the form of his life and they have handed London Spirit a real beating here. As for the Spirit, they were under-par with the bat but couldn't even put up much of a fight with the ball.
In over# 13
6
6
2
6
0
Richard Gleeson 44/0(3)
65
6
SIX! What a way to wrap things up and Liam Livingstone has blown away London Spirit in a jiffy here. Good-length delivery, angling into the batter anf right into the swinging arc. Livingstone stays back and whacks it over deep mid-wicket for a biggie, a third one in the last 4 balls and Birmingham Phoenix win 7 wickets, with 35 balls remaining.
64
6
SIX! Liam Livingstone is just hitting sixes for fun and he brings up 200 runs for himself in this season. Attempted bumper, doesn't get it high enough and Livingstone pulls it high and handsome, behind square leg and it sails into the crowd.
63
2
Great effort in the field! Shorter now, Livingstone gets on top of the bounce and hammers the pull to the left of deep backward square leg. Sean Dickson sprints across and puts a big dive in to save the boundary. Two runs taken.
62
6
SIX! Right in the slot and over the ropes it goes. Full and straight, Livingstone keeps the front leg out of the way and swings through the line, hitting it dead straight and for another six.
61
.
Well bowled! Gleeson gets the yorker in, right in the blockhole and on off stump. Livingstone jams the bat down in time.
In over# 12
1
6
0
6
4
Olly Stone 29/0(2)
60
1
Livingstone has massacred that ball but a good effort in the deep keeps it down to a single. Fuller one around off, Liam smokes it along the turf and straight back past the bowler. Daniel Worrall at long off is quick to sprint to his right and dives in to save the biundary.
59
6
SIX! Hard length around middle, Livingstone hangs back again and just swings it away over cow corner for a biggie.
58
.
A quick bumper this time around, well outside off and helmet height. Livingstone pulls out of the pull shot and lets it through.
Oh, it seems like someone in the crowd doesn't want to give the ball back and the umpires call for a change of ball. The fourth umpire comes out with a briefcase and a different one is picked.
57
6
SIX! That's gone deep into the 'Hollies stand.' Banged in short and over middle, Livingstone is waiting for it and hangs back before laying into the pull and absolutely smokes it over deep mid-wicket for a biggie.