Gardner gives Rockets lift-off in Hundred showdown

Australian superstar Ashleigh Gardner has led from the front to help keep her Trent Rockets season alive with a tense three-wicket victory over Ellyse Perry's Birmingham Phoenix in their crunch women's Hundred clash at Edgbaston.

Phoenix captain Perry managed just five runs before being caught by Gardner off the bowling of Alexa Stonehouse after the opener won the toss and elected to bat.

Phoenix tallied 6-112, not enough to prevent Rockets pulling off a vital victory with three balls to spare, though Perry did repay the compliment by running out Gardner during the visitors' innings.

The result meant Rockets drew level on points with third-placed Northern Superchargers to keep themselves in the hunt for a place in the knockout stage.

Birmingham, who started level with Trent in the table, lost Perry, Fran Wilson and Amy Jones in the opening 15 balls.

Phoenix's recovery was as impressive as it was crucial, with Sterre Kalis and India international Richa Ghosh putting on 95 in a record fourth-wicket partnership for the women's competition.

Ghosh made 41 from 36 and Kalis 47 from 44 as they took the hosts to 6-112. Sciver-Brunt finished with figures of 2-16 and Gardner also picked up the crucial late wickets of Ghosh and Emily Arlott from consecutive balls to finish with 2-17. 

Phoenix needed early wickets to help them defend their below-par total and they managed just that, with Bryony Smith and Nat Wraith dismissed in the first 20 balls. 

That brought Sciver-Brunt to the crease – the leading run-scorer in The Hundred this year – and with Gardner (20) also batting the visitors looked to be cantering to victory.

However, a flurry of wickets – including a timely run out of Gardner by Perry – made things suddenly appear much trickier for the Rockets. 

The visitors perhaps benefited from a debatable no-ball call, which saw Josie Groves reprieved having initially been given out, but on this occasion they had enough to get over the line.

Katie George was there at the end alongside Groves to keep alive Rockets' hopes of going further in The Hundred.

In the men's match, Sean Abbott's Birmingham eliminated Chris Green's Trent Rockets from playoff contention with New Zealand quick Tim Southee taking 5-12 to restrict the visitors to 118 at Edgbaston.

England stars Ben Duckett and Liam Livingstone then both scored 30 runs as the Phoenix reached their target with six wickets and seven balls to spare.

Aussies in The Hundred 2024

Women

Birmingham Phoenix: Ellyse Perry (A$76,000)

Manchester Originals: Beth Mooney (A$95,000), Kim Garth (replacement player)

London Spirit: Meg Lanning (A$95,000), Georgia Redmayne (A$33,000), Erin Burns (until late July)

Oval Invincibles: Amanda-Jade Wellington (A$57,000), Megan Schutt (replacement player), Laura Harris (until July 28)

Trent Rockets: Ashleigh Gardner (A$95,000), Alana King (A$76,000), Heather Graham (A$57,000)

Welsh Fire: Jess Jonassen (A$57,000)

Northern Superchargers: Annabel Sutherland (A$95,000), Phoebe Litchfield (A$95,000), Georgia Wareham (A$76,000)

Southern Brave: Lauren Cheatle (A$27,000), Charli Knott (until July 30)

Men

Birmingham Phoenix: Sean Abbott (A$95,000)

London Spirit: Nathan Ellis (A$191,000)

Oval Invincibles: Adam Zampa (A$191,000), Spencer Johnson (A$114,000)

Trent Rockets: Chris Green (replacement player)

Northern Superchargers: Matt Short (A$143,000), Daniel Sams (A$143,000)