The Timeline: Birmingham Phoenix Men vs London Spirit Men: Moeen Ali's side take the points at Edgbaston

The visiting London Spirit side batted respectably against an exciting Phoenix bowling attack, but extras and loose deliveries cost them as the home side chased them down

Scorecard

The Edgbaston crowd were treated to an entertaining night of cricket as Birmingham Phoenix chased down London Spirit's 145 with three balls to spare.

London Spirit didn't get off to a riproaring start to their innings, but Zak Crawley  led from the front, with Joe Denly and Ravi Bopara among the cameos as they built what looked to be a par score.

The chasing Phoenix got the job done, however, after Chris Benjamin and Benny Howell hit hard to make up for a slow start. Here's how it happened...

As has been the trend so far, the team losing the toss - in this case London Spirit - bat first.

Ball 5: Edged and put down! This wasn’t the easiest chance ever for wicketkeeper Chris Cooke, but he’ll still be frustrated. Adam Milne bowls one at 90mph, and Inglis looks to drive. He finds the bottom edge and Cooke, diving to his right, can’t hold. 3-0

Ball 10: Whacked for six! Paceman Tom Helm grimaces as he knew exactly what was coming then. The length was perfect for Crawley, who takes a quick glance before launching one over midwicket and into the stands. 16-0

Ball 12: Caught! That’s the end of Josh Inglis. Milne alters his length for this one, and Inglis can only catch it with the bottom end of his bat. It loops over to the ring where captain Moeen Ali makes no mistake. A player who has been in excellent form prior to The Hundred has to settle for 10 here. 20-1

Ball 16: Lawrence dispatches for a maximum - and this is a great shot. Helm tries to put this one full, but Lawrence takes a step forward and to his left to give himself room to thwack it over the extra cover rope. 26-1

Ball 18: Gone - and Dan Lawrence has to trudge back! Helm goes for the short, wider one and gets his reward. The attempted big shot only finds the toe of the bat, going straight up, where after a long time in the air Benny Howell does well to make the catch. Two big early breakthroughs for the hosts. 26-2

^{Tom Helm celebrates after taking the wicket of Dan Lawrence}

Ball 40: Howell gets Morgan! He would have wanted to be in for a longer innings given his sides’ early wickets, but he has to go for 12. Benny Howell floats one on middle, and Morgan simply doesn’t contact it as he would have liked. Not at all long enough to beat the man at long-off. 59-3

Ball 57: Joe Denly wallops another for six! Bowler Liam Livingstone rolls his eyes as he knew instantly what was coming. On a perfect length for the batsman, Denly shuffles forward and heaves over midwicket. 86-3

That is large from Joe Denly 🔥🔥#TheHundred pic.twitter.com/XSe8ictJNK

— The Cricketer (@TheCricketerMag) July 23, 2021

Ball 62: The wide ball gets the wicket! This is excellent variation from Benny Howell. Bowled on the imaginary “fifth stump”, Joe Denly is left in two minds as he reaches for it, and can only fire to the strategically placed Moeen Ali, who doesn’t have to strain for his second catch of the evening. 89-4

Ball 80: Six more for Crawley, and that's his half-century! The boundaries are coming thick and fast. It's been a fantastic innings for the Englishman who has enjoyed himself tonight. He takes a step to get himself into position before propelling Imran Tahir back over midwicket for six, and raises the bat. 117-4

^{Zak Crawley demonstrated his full repertoire}

Ball 90: Caught and bowled with one-hand! That is utterly stunning from Milne! He already bowls at around 85mph, and this would have come back even faster from Bopara. Somehow, in the middle of his follow through, he plucks the shot out of the air with his right hand. What a wicket. 127-5

WHAT A CATCH! 🤯😱

Is this the best caught and bowled we'll see in The Hundred? 💯 @Sdoull and @KP24 think so!

Milne shows Moeen how it's done with an amazing one-handed grab.

📺🖥️ SS The Hundred 👉 https://t.co/ROvTp3gtdt
📋 Scorecard 👉 https://t.co/xmYHUpCxzn pic.twitter.com/62wPxhHgfB

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 23, 2021

Ball 99: At last, Zak Crawley finally has to walk. Having banged one over deep midwicket on the last ball, he goes for it again against Helm but the change of pace from the bowler means he can't do as much with it - as the ball falls short on the leg side, where Chris Benjamin shouts "mine!" and keeps to his word. 143-6 

It's going to be 145 for Birmingham Phoenix to win. "I think that's about par", Zak Crawley comments at the interval: - it should be a close-run affair.

Ball 9: Edged and taken! Chris Wood and Mohammad Amir have both threatened with the new ball, but it's the English right-armer who strikes first. Swinging in on off, Miles Hammond looks to step into a drive shot, but is beaten. There is an audible nick and wicketkeeper Inglis grabs it easily. 8-1

Ball 12: In goes Liam Livingstone, and out goes the ball into the stands! That ball has travelled miles - well, 102 metres exactly - but he's repeated exactly what he did for England a few weeks ago. Blake Cullen comes in full, he takes a step back and absolutely thumps it back over the bowler's head. 15-1

Liam Livingstone is at it again.#TheHundred pic.twitter.com/OIbaj6jawp

— The Cricketer (@TheCricketerMag) July 23, 2021

Ball 20: Bowled 'im! Big comeback from Mohammad Amir! Having been mocked by the crowd for a couple of wides earlier, he finishes his five by silencing Edgbaston. It's an inswinger on leg, and Finn Allen, who is tempted by the big swing, misses, uprooting the leg stump. A much needed wicket for Spirit, who were looking under the cosh. 33-2

Ball 41: Gone! What a catch by Chris Wood on the boundary! London Spirit were knocking on the door for a wicket and they've got one, in the important shape of Liam Livingstone. Blake Cullen invites the pull shot with a shorter one, and it loops to fine leg where Wood runs to it, jumps and stretches, and takes it in the air without stepping on the rope. Top fielding. 61-3

Ball 51: Moeen hauls over long-on for six! You bowl on off stump to Moeen, you know what's coming. Van der Merwe does just that and the length is perfect for the skipper to get his feet in order and swing hard over extra cover for a maximum - a relief after their last big one was 39 balls ago. 80-3

Moeen Ali added 40 runs

Ball 65: Another brilliant catch on the rope, this time by Roelof van der Merwe! Mohammad Nabi tosses on middle to Daniel Bell-Drummond, who looks to fire over long-on. It's just short, and the Netherlands international grabs it above his head, throws it up to stop himself from falling onto the rope, and gets back inside to complete the catch. Pressure on the Phoenix. 88-4

Ball 70: Moeen Ali goes! Caught by Bopara! Van der Merwe is involved again as he invites the big shot on leg, and the shot is just a little bit too flat. Bopara covered at least 10 yards as he scurried towards the circle, taking the ball to his chest on the dive. 98-5

Ball 77: Benny Howell fires a six into the Hollies! How-well did he hit that? It's a full ball from Chris Wood, but the all-rounder gets his feet into position quickly, allowing him to flick off his leg and into an appreciative, all-singing, all-dancing stand. The edge just about with Birmingham at this stage. 108-5

Ball 85: High up in the air, not easy - but it's Bopara again who catches it! Benny Howell was really getting in the mood, but Blake Cullen gets the better of him with a change of length, it loops high up in the air where the veteran Bopara calls it, and as it falls he gets down on his knees for the grab. 121-6

Ball 87: Benjamin goes for the reverse scoop.. and gets six! This is a back-and-forth affair. This shot is outrageous, but Chris Benjamin has got the audacity to go for it. It's a good length on off from Cullen, but he turns, reverses his bat and fires over third man - to the Birmingham crowd's delight! 128-6

Ball 96: The party is put on ice just one more time - Bopara again. Mohammad Amir gets the length ball and Chris Cooke hits high - and Bopara's excellent night in the field continues, but the scores are already level. 145-7

Ball 97: Adam Milne wins it! He fires Amir away through the leg-side for four to complete the chase.

London Spirit 144 off 100 balls, 13 4s, 6 6s

Birmingham Phoenix 148 off 97 balls, 10 4s, 6 6s

Birmingham Phoenix won

Hero of the Match Zak Crawley said "I was pleased with how I played. Disappointed with the result - could have done with a few more at the back end, to have got us to a higher total". 

Asked about home advantage, Crawley confirmed "They massively helped . For the opposition side, it was tough to get off their back!" He also sung the praises for bowler Adam Milne - "he should probably be wearing the cap", he added.