After five losses, Welsh Fire finally tasted victory in The Hundred Women’s 2025 as Jess Jonassen inspired a dominant win over Birmingham Phoenix at Edgbaston, ending Phoenix’s Eliminator chances.
Match Analysis
Match Summary
Welsh Fire claimed their first win of The Hundred women’s competition at the sixth time of asking, Aussie all-rounder Jess Jonassen inspiring a comprehensive victory over Birmingham Phoenix at Edgbaston to end their hosts’ slim hopes of progressing to the Eliminator.
Last year’s runners-up were playing for pride after five straight defeats extinguished their hopes of a top-three finish and they produced comfortably their best performance of the campaign so far, Jonassen delivering fireworks with the bat before returning figures of 3-24.
The omens didn’t look good for the Fire when Tammy Beaumont was bowled for 2 by a trademark inswinger from Megan Schutt, but a second-wicket stand of 71 between Sophia Dunkley (53 from 43) and Hayley Matthews, whose unbeaten 34 from 33 balls was her highest score of the competition, laid strong foundations.
Dunkley’s failed attempt at a sweep shot saw her bowled by Hannah Baker to leave the Fire 99-2 before Jonassen upped the ante with a powerful knock of 44 from 17 balls. The experienced left-hander was particularly brutal against Baker, hitting four consecutive sixes in the leg-spinner’s final set to propel the Fire to 150-3.
In reply the Phoenix made a stuttering start, Shabnim Ismail (3-16) producing a beauty to castle Emma Lamb for a second-ball duck before trapping Marie Kelly lbw two deliveries later.
Australian duo Georgia Voll (29 from 18) and Ellyse Perry (53 from 43) gave the innings impetus but Jonassen made another crucial intervention, bowling Voll with a nicely flighted delivery which deceived her compatriot in the air.
Amy Jones swiftly followed, bowled by Matthews for a golden duck, before Perry gave the Phoenix a glimmer of hope, registering her first half-century of this summer’s competition.
Sterre Kalis (15 from 16) briefly flickered, hitting Jonassen for a straight six, but the southpaw spinner had her revenge two balls later when Kalis holed out to Ismail at long-on, and Ailsa Lister fell in identical fashion soon after to give Jonassen her third.
Ismail returned to see off Perry, dismissed by a low catch from Georgia Elwiss at mid-off, and Matthews (3-21) did further damage as the Phoenix eventually limped to 114-9, slipping to the bottom of the table after suffering their fifth defeat in six.
On her all-round performance Jonassen, the Meerkat Match Hero, said: “It’s not too bad, to be fair. I got a little bit of luck with the bat, muscled a few, but we’re really pleased we got some points on the board.
“We’ve been searching for a win all season. It’s nice that things clicked today. We were probably just letting ourselves down a little with the bat, more so than anything, and it’s really nice we got a win today but with things still to improve on for the remaining matches. We’re really looking forward to getting back to Cardiff for our next game.”
Birmingham Phoenix (Women) vs Welsh Fire (Women), Match 24, The Hundred Womens
Birmingham Phoenix (Women) 114/9 (100 balls)
Welsh Fire (Women) 150/3 (100 balls)
Welsh Fire (Women) won by 36 runs
SCORECARD
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Match Stats
Welsh Fire (Women) Fall of wickets: 1-28 (Tammy Beaumont – 4.1 ov), 2-99 (Sophia Dunkley – 14.2 ov), 3-149 (Jess Jonassen – 19.3 ov)
Birmingham Phoenix (Women): Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Emma Lamb – 0.4 ov), 2-5 (Marie Kelly – 1.1 ov), 3-61 (Georgia Voll – 8.5 ov), 4-61 (Amy Jones – 9.1 ov), 5-91 (Sterre Kalis – 13.5 ov), 6-100 (Ailsa Lister – 16.2 ov), 7-108 (Ellyse Perry – 18.2 ov), 8-111 (Megan Schutt – 19.1 ov), 9-112 (Mary Taylor – 19.3 ov)
Partnership
Playing XI
Birmingham Phoenix (Women)
Welsh Fire (Women)
Match Details:
Date: 2025-08-22 14:00:00
Venue: Edgbaston, Birmingham
Toss: Welsh Fire (Women) elected to bat
Umpires: Gabi Brown(England), Sue Redfern(England), Neil Bainton (England, TV)
Match Referee: Steve Davis (Australia)
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