Trent Rockets are top of The Hundred women’s table after another masterclass from Sophia Dunkley saw them to a fourth win on the bounce.
The Rockets star extended her lead at the top of this year's run-scoring charts, while leapfrogging her teammate Nat Sciver-Brunt at the summit of the competition’s all-time run-scorers.
She made a 26-ball fifty, including a pair of huge sixes off Alana King, the second of which brought up her fifty.
Even the setback of losing two greats in two balls with the score on 82 – Sciver-Brunt the first to go for 24, and then Ash Gardner bounced out first ball by Lauren Filer – failed to stem her flow.
Dunkley's third half-century in six games was a masterclass. By the time she was out, the back of the game was broken, and Sophie Luff, with a flurry of boundaries, took the Rockets home with 16 balls to spare.
Earlier, Davina Perrin had started energetically for the Phoenix, punching her way up to 18 in the opening powerplay, but when she miscued a Kim Garth delivery to Charley Phillips at mid-on, Birmingham’s familiar problems with the bat reared up again.
Capsey’s challenging tournament continued, clean bowled by Phillips for 1, before Perry overbalanced against her compatriot Ash Gardner to be stumped by fellow Australian, Beth Mooney. And when Tammy Beaumont was run out from a bullet throw from Sophia Dunkley, the Phoenix were four down for just 55.
Phoenix were indebted to England international Emma Lamb and Annerie Dercksen for setting a workable total. In her first appearance in this year’s competition, Lamb held the innings together with a composed 45. With Dercksen, the pair added 45, before both fell to Garth, who picked up four wickets for 23.
With Dunkley lurking, 122 was never likely to be enough and a third defeat in five leaves the Phoenix up against it ahead of the knockouts.
Tickets are selling fast for Trent Rockets' final home games on Monday 10 August, with both teams seeking a place in The Hundred Final. Book in advance to save £5 per adult seat, with all under 16s £5. Buy here...
