Perry shines again as Phoenix claim Hundred win

Ellyse Perry's Birmingham Phoenix remain in the mix as The Hundred reaches the business end after an impressive bowling display helped secure a nine-run win over Welsh Fire at Cardiff.

Defending a score of 7-121, the Phoenix restricted the Fire to 8-112 in the English domestic competition.

Marshalling her attack superbly, Australia star and Phoenix skipper Perry was once again the catalyst, claiming wickets in successive balls to remove Sophie Dunkley and Sarah Bryce. 

Those wickets checked Fire's progress but from 3-42 Hayley Matthews and Jess Jonassen repaired the innings, putting on 46 together. 

With 34 needed from 27 balls, leg-spinner Hannah Baker scuttled a straight one past Jonassen's attempted reverse sweep. Katie Levick then encouraged Georgia Elwiss to pick out deep mid-off, before returning for the penultimate set of five to claim the key scalp of Matthews for 35. 

Although Matthews (3-42) kept the Phoenix middle-order in check, their total earlier of 7-121 - with Sterre Kalis top scoring with 55 - ensured they are alive and kicking going into the tournament's final week. 

Sterre Kalis said: "Credit to Pez (Perry) early on and then the spinners. It wasn't the highest total to defend, so the bowlers did an amazing job to restrict them."

Meanwhile, Perry's fellow Australians Ashleigh Gardner and Heather Graham helped Trent Rockets beat Southern Brave by 24 runs to keep their Hundred hopes alive.

Nat Sciver-Brunt's unbeaten 60 from 37 balls elevated the Rockets to a commanding 7-155, helped by excellent support from Grace Scrivens (36) and cameos from Gardner (18) and Graham (15).

In reply, after Wyatt and Maia Bouchier fell without scoring to Stonehouse inside the first five balls the Brave were always up against it.

Georgia Adams was punchy for her 27 and Smriti Mandhana was all touch and elegance for her 42. But when she miscued a Graham off-break to backward point, the Brave were 4-82 after 69 balls and fading.

Some late-order fireworks by South African Chloe Tryon (47) threatened an upset but the Rockets held their nerve to within a point of the play-off places with two games to play.