MI London entered the final men’s group match of the season with their hopes of clinching a fourth straight Hundred championship hanging by a thread. Even though they managed to defeat the league’s bottom‑placed side, Birmingham Phoenix, the win was far too narrow to keep their title aspirations alive.
The match took place at Edgbaston under a dramatic solar eclipse, an unusual backdrop that added a surreal quality to the proceedings. Going into the game, MI London knew the exact margin they needed: a win by at least 59 runs would lift them into third place, overtaking SunRisers Leeds and securing a spot in the play‑offs on their home ground.
The toss went in Phoenix’s favour, and they elected to field first, putting the onus squarely on the visiting side to post a hefty total. MI London’s innings stalled at 157 for 6. While that score was respectable, it left them with a very slim margin for error. They had to bowl Phoenix out for no more than 98 runs to stay in contention.
The start of the chase was promising for the hosts: three wickets fell in the powerplay, with Sikandar Raza delivering a clean‑bowled dismissal of Joe Clarke and Richard Gleeson snaring Mitchell Owen and Laurie Evans in successive balls. Gleeson’s spell lifted him to the top of the tournament’s wicket‑taking chart with 14 victims, underscoring his impact throughout the competition. Phoenix, however, steadied their innings through a solid partnership between Jake Weatherley and Sean Dickson.
Their collaboration added crucial runs and, after a Tom Curran wide, pushed the total to 99 – just one run beyond the threshold MI London needed. The narrow escape dashed any lingering optimism for a comeback. In the second innings, MI London’s chase began with Dickson (23 off 17 balls) falling lbw to Sam Curran.
Curran then claimed Weatherley (42 off 31) in the deep, and the hosts lost momentum. Jordan Thompson (23 off 13) and Rehan Ahmed (23 off 11) managed quick runs, but the decisive moment arrived when Trent Boult held his nerve, delivering precise yorkers that secured a two‑run victory for Phoenix. Earlier in the game, MI London had shown flashes of brilliance.
Will Jacks opened the batting with confidence before being caught by Chris Wood after a mistimed shot to deep point. James Vince appeared in fine form, and Nicholas Pooran announced his arrival with a rapid 10‑run burst off two balls, dismissing Tom Helm.
Helm, however, turned the tables by bowling Vince (22 off 12) with a deceptive back‑of‑the‑hand slower delivery. Rehan Ahmed then applied the brakes on the run rate, outwitting Sam Curran with a well‑timed googly and conceding just three runs in his first ten balls, including a string of six consecutive dot balls. Despite these moments, MI London’s total never seemed sufficient to mount the miracle they required. The match also featured notable contributions from other players: Raza added 17 runs off 13 balls, debutant Ollie Sykes contributed a quick 23 not out from 14 deliveries, and Tom Curran chipped in with 17 not out from nine balls.
Yet, the collective effort fell short of the target. With MI London eliminated, SunRisers Leeds now face Manchester Super Giants at The Kia Oval on Friday evening, with the winner earning a place in the coveted Lord’s final against Trent Rockets. Gleeson reflected on the disappointment: "Winning five games and still missing out when two other sides have the same record is frustrating, but it highlights the depth of this competition.
You have to be at your best in every phase – 30, 40, 50 runs can change everything." The women's tournament mirrored the men’s drama. Welsh Fire and London Spirit both found themselves on the brink of elimination. Fire’s chances were statistically viable only with a record‑breaking victory margin, as their four wins had all been narrow and their defeats heavy. Nonetheless, the Cardiff crowd witnessed a spirited performance as London Spirit defended 131, securing their third win of the campaign.
After winning the toss, Fire chose to bowl. Chris Woakes displayed his enduring class, restricting the powerful opening pair of Jonny Bairstow and Lhuandre Pretorius, while Lockie Ferguson capitalised on the pressure, taking the South African’s wicket after a dropped catch. The powerplay ended 34‑1, with Bairstow on 22 off 11.
Twenty‑five balls later the score read 59‑3, with Woakes having dismissed Bairstow for 34 off 19 and Marco Jansen delivering ten dot balls in his first fifteen. London Spirit’s leading run‑scorers, Liam Livingstone (233) and Dewald Brevis (212), fell cheaply. James Coles, who had finally found form, managed 29 before Jansen’s 6‑ft‑8‑in frame at long‑off produced a spectacular catch for Tom Kohler‑Cadmore.
When Fire batted, they lost Matt Short early, but Phil Salt and Joe Root steadied the innings, suggesting that a modest target could be chased comfortably. At 90‑2 after 69 balls, with Jordan Cox accelerating, the outlook seemed positive. However, the partnership unraveled as Root (31 off 31) and Cox (44 off 28) fell, and Kohler‑Cadmore, Ravindra, and Jansen were dismissed in the final eight balls, leaving Fire just one run short of victory.
They ultimately lost by six runs. The Hundred will conclude with the finals on Sunday, 16 August, streamed free on NOW.
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