Men's Hundred | Ben Duckett-Moeen Ali union coupled with Sean Abbott's four-fer outclass Welsh Fire

SportsCafe Desk

BySportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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Birmingham Phoenix beat the Welsh Fire by five wickets and leapfrog to the third position. Sean Abbott’s four-for eclipsed Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s fifty before Moeen Ali and Ben Duckett’s impressive half-centuries set up a 114-run opening stand, setting up the demolition job of Welsh at their backyard.

Winning the toss and electing to bat first Welsh Fire got off to a patchy start with three skiers falling at no man’s land before Adam Milne removed Luke Wells to set up a 33-run powerplay. Right after, the introduction of Sean Abbott saw Joe Clarke and Tom Abell packing in quick succession. Undeterred Stephen Eskinazi and Tom Kohler-Cadmore tried to counterpunch the Phoenix before the former ended the 32-run stand by dragging a length ball to the stumps. Their score read 88/4 in twelve sets before Kohler-Cadmore struck three back-to-back fours off Southee, adding 37 runs together. Ross Whiteley and Glenn Phillips departed in consecutive overs but Kohler-Cadmore continued the assault and reached a fifty setting up a 146/8 tally before getting out on the 92nd ball.  

Unlike their counterparts, Ben Duckett and Moeen Ali assisted the Welsh Fire to get off to a flying start inside the powerplay. The southpaw pair targetted the gaps beyond the inner circle and perfected lofted strokes to steer them to 59/0 in 40 balls after a 39-run powerplay. The pair maintained their superb form putting together an 86-run partnership and propelling the Welsh scoreboard to 86/0 by the 11th set, with Ali reaching a brilliant half-century in just 38 balls. Needing 54 runs from 40 deliveries, the Welsh side steadily set the stage for a decisive victory. However, Ali failed to continue merry-making after reaching half-century as Matt Henry edged past in the 15th set. But Jamie Smith tried to play his natural game, reducing the equation to less than run-a-ball before Haris Rauf cleaned him up in the 17th set. With 14 required from 19 balls, the Phoenix batters choked to Haris Rauf and David Willey but Duckett held one end to steer them past the finishing line with a match-winning half-century and winning the contest by five wickets. 

Finally they won

Gone

Great partnership

Completely different

Fastest one

Calm down

Fantastic efoort

Natural

Whats going on

Stupid ways

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