Perry proves class by dominating at Edgbaston

It will have been a bittersweet experience for Ellyse Perry watching Australia win the Commonwealth Games gold at Edgbaston earlier this month.

A back injury that prevented her bowling, and doubts over her scoring rate, meant one of the sport's stars was in the squad, but not in the team.

So while she won a gold medal, and contributed off the pitch, it would not have felt quite as hard-earned as she would like.

England's domestic Hundred competition has provided, if not compensation as such, a chance to show what she can do ... And the 31-year-old is making the most of it.

Having made 58 off 31 balls in Birmingham Phoenix's opening match in Cardiff on Saturday she was back at Edgbaston on Monday for the Phoenix's first home game of the season.

She responded with an unbeaten 39 off 28 as Phoenix beat Trent Rockets by eight wickets with ten balls to spare.

In successive balls Perry smashed England veterans Katherine Brunt and Nat Sciver for a pulled six and lofted driven four.

That delighted skipper Sophie Devine, who for years has been in the opposition with New Zealand.

"She is such a fantastic athlete," said Devine. "The way she has evolved her game as well.

"I know she has her critics around the shorter formats but what she has done these last two games she's shown her class is permanent

"The way she was able to manage that run chase. A few of the players were maybe getting nervous on the sideline but knowing she is out there, and had full control of it, is full credit to the player she is."

Perry, who is expected to soon be confirmed in the Sydney Sixers squad for WBBL|08 having agreed terms earlier this year, was joined in Phoenix team by Sophie Molineux, who did not even make the Aussie Games squad.

Molineux took 2-22 off her 20 balls and should have had Nat Sciver (31) stumped as well.

Both players also took excellent catches.

Image Id: 58626D30A8594A5BA8A14AD06925D121 Image Caption: Sophie Molinuex holds onto a screamer at backward point // Getty

Adding spice to their victory was the fact compatriots Alana King and Elyse Villani were on the Rockets team.

Villani made 33 and King – the only one of the quartet to actually play for Australia in the Games – took 1-18 off her 20 balls.

But despite their efforts Rockets were well beaten, the match going awry for them from the moment Villani was out, caught by Perry off Georgia Elwiss (2-16). They collapsed from 1-70 to finish on 9-116 off their 100 balls.

Perry later took another excellent catch to dismiss the dangerous Katherine Brunt (9).

Emily Arnott took 3-19, including the wicket of King (1) brilliantly caught over her shoulder by Devine.

The pair swapped roles when Phoenix batted, King catching Devine (16). The leg-spinner then dismissed Evelyn Jones (11) but Saturday's hat-trick hero could not snare Perry who took Fire to victory in tandem with England wicketkeeper Amy Jones (44 off 32).

Jones said of batting with Perry: "She has a world of experience and kept me calm throughout and her big shots at the end were very helpful."

In the commentary box Eoin Morgan, England's World Cup winning captain, was full of praise for the example Perry set on the field.

"Ellyse Perry going from cow corner to cow corner... She's a senior international player, an absolute hero of the game, and she is putting in hard yards like that. That sets a really high standard for everybody else in the team," said Morgan.

Sams heroics in vain as Rockets doused

If not for Aussie allrounder Daniel Sams the crowd at Edgbaston would have been home well before darkness fell in Birmingham as the home side claimed a lopsided win in the men's match.

Trent Rockets had stumbled to 6-53 off 54 balls when Sams came to the crease and battered an unbeaten 55 from 25 balls with three sixes and five fours.

With Lewis Gregory adding 35 off 22 the pair put on an unbeaten 92 off 46 balls enabling Rockets to finish on 6-145.

Image Id: 3A520DA2B1CF43BA9DD057B38055DF35 Image Caption: Daniel Sams hit three sixes in his 25-ball 55no // Getty

Phoenix spinners Moeen Ali and Imran Tahir had dismissed dangermen Alex Hales and Dawid Malan for one and nine respectively before Benny Howell (3-28) ripped through the middle-order.

Despite Luke Wood's 3-17, Moeen crashed 52 off 28 balls, BBL Draft nominee Liam Livingstone 51no off 32, and Aussie Matt Wade, as so often the finisher, ended unbeaten with 14 off ten.

Phoenix, with 3-149 off 86 balls, won by seven wickets with 14 deliveries to spare, inflicting the first defeat in the opening four games on Rockets in the process.

"We are just doing the basics quite well," said Moeen. "We're gathering some momentum now and it's always nice to win especially at home.

"We are unbeaten at home now and it's a tricky place for the opposition to come and play."

Australians at The Hundred 2022

Women

Birmingham Phoenix: Sophie Molineux, Ellyse Perry

London Spirit: Beth Mooney, Megan Schutt

Northern Superchargers: Heather Graham, Alyssa Healy

Southern Brave: Tahlia McGrath, Molly Strano, Amanda-Jade Wellington

Trent Rockets: Alana King, Elyse Villani

Welsh Fire: Nicola Carey, Rachael Haynes, Annabel Sutherland

Men

Birmingham Phoenix: Kane Richardson, Matthew Wade

London Spirit: Nathan Ellis, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott

Manchester Originals: Sean Abbott, Ashton Turner

Oval Invincibles: Hilton Cartwright

Southern Brave: Tim David, Marcus Stoinis

Trent Rockets: Daniel Sams

Welsh Fire: Adam Zampa