Birmingham Phoenix vs Southern Brave Match 13 Full Commentary
Result · Jul 30 2026, Thu - 11:00 PM (IST)
Match 13, - Utilita Bowl
BPH 116/9 (20.0)
SOB 128/8 (20.0)
Southern Brave beat Birmingham Phoenix by 12 runs
CRR:5.80
Player Of The Match
We are back. Chris Jordan leads his men through the smoke before they gather in a huddle, with the skipper delivering a few final words before they take the field. Will Smeed and Joe Clarke are the two openers for Birmingham Phoenix. Luke Wood will start with the new ball. Clarke to face the first ball. Here we go!
... THE RUN CHASE ...
Advantage Phoenix - Coming into this game, the Utilita Bowl had been the toughest batting venue in the men's competition this season, with an average first-innings score of 132, the lowest among all venues. Southern Brave have finished below even that mark. Birmingham Phoenix will look to make the most of the Powerplay when the hard new ball is easier to score off before it softens. They will ideally want to break the back of the chase inside the first 25 balls. Brave, meanwhile, will be hunting for early wickets and hope to build from there to make a contest of it. Stay tuned as the chase is coming up shortly.
Let's hear from Ben Dwarshuis - Dwarshuis says they held them off to a pretty average total and details that there was some hold on the surface as the ball grew older. On their bowling discipline, he explains the focus was on controlling one or two deliveries within each set. When asked about Donovan Ferreira's captaincy and his proactivity in the field, he speaks highly of his work in the field, adding it's been good to see him set the tone for the side. On the chase ahead, he leaves the finer calculations to the batters, but notes it's a ground where they need to be positive throughout. He hopes that a quick start can bring the asking rate down and ease things from there.
An innings that never took off - It was evident early on that there was not much pace in the surface. After the pacers did a good job in the Powerplay, Rehan Ahmed and Usman Tariq ensured there was no let-up through the middle phase, with Rehan starring with a three-wicket haul. Marcus Stoinis threatened to shift gears but fell just as he looked set to accelerate. From there, no one could provide the finish Southern Brave were looking for. 4 batters got starts but lacked the fluency to kick on, with none going on to make a substantial contribution.
Brave kept in check - A job well done by Birmingham Phoenix. Donovan Ferreira rotated his bowlers effectively, and they did not disappoint. The attack operated as a unit and rarely allowed the batters to break free.
SOUTHERN BRAVE FINISH AT 128/8! Cannons in a full ball, on middle. Luke Wood clears the front leg away and drags it through mid-wicket for a single. 9 runs off the final set of five, but the visitors will be quite happy with their bowling and fielding efforts.
SIX! Finally, something for the home crowd to cheer! Back of a length, around the off pole. Luke Wood picks the length early and hammers it over the deep mid-wicket region for a massive six.
Takes pace off again, does Scott. Digs it into the surface, short on the leg stump. Saif Zaib looks to pull but gets a top edge and the ball rolls to the deep fine leg region for a single.
Full and on middle, heaved wide of long on for a single.
A dipping full toss, on the stumps. Wood bunts it back to the bower.
Scott Currie to close out the innings.
A slower one by the looks of it, outside off on a good length. Luke stays leg side and shanks it to the right of the long off fielder for a couple of runs.
Slower bumper, at the shoulder height. Saif Zaib pulls it off the gloves to deep fine leg for a single.
Another wicket falls. Luke Wood comes in next, but it will be Saif Zaib on strike.
OUT! JOFRA ARCHER IS RUN OUT! Bullet arm from Donovan Ferreira. He took a brilliant catch earlier and now hits the bullseye. This is bashed hard on a length, on off. Jofra Archer punches it off the back foot to the cover region and sets off for a quick single. But Donovan Ferreira is quick to swoop across. Picks the ball and aims at the bowling end, scoring a direct hit with his right hand. He almost takes out Dwarshuis, but the bowler just sways away from the projectile as it crashes into the stumps with Jofra nowhere to be seen. Southern Brave are 116/8, falling apart.
Beaten! Slanted across the batter, on a good length. Jofra Archer stays put, trying to access the off side, but gets beaten as the ball zips past the outside edge.
Brave's chances of a strong finish take a hit. Jofra Archer comes out to the middle.
OUT! CAUGHT! In the quest for quick runs, Miller falls. Dwarshuis slams the deck very hard, short and outside off. David Miller stands tall and looks to pull it across the line, but only manages a fat top edge. The ball climbs up the chimney and goes in the short third region. Saqib Mahmood settles under it and takes it easily without much fuss. Southern Brave are 116/7, with 9 legal balls left.
Angled outside off, on a hard length. Miller slaps it to deep cover-point for a single.
Good work in the deep by Dwarshuis. A slower bumper by Scott, at the body. David Miller swivels and pulls it between deep mid-wicket and deep square leg. Ben Dwarshuis from deep square leg sprints and dives to save two runs for his team.
Short of a good length, and this is tucked behind square on the leg side for a single.
Saif Zaib is the new man in.
OUT! STRAIGHT TO THE FIELDER! The Brave keep losing wickets one after the other. Currie hammers it on a good length, on middle and leg. Chris Jordan is hurried on the pull shot but hits it flat towards deep backward square leg. Laurie Evans is alert there and snaffles it. Southern Brave are 112/6, with 13 legal balls left in the first innings.
Spears in the blockhole, on leg. David Miller clears the front leg and flicks it hard to deep mid-wicket for a single.
Scott Currie returns.
At pace now, on leg, on a length. Jordan gets a bit across and tucks it wide of mid-wicket for a single.
WIDE! The slower short ball, but it goes all wrong for Dwarshuis. It flies over the batter's head, outside off. Let through by Jordan. Wide called for height.
Another off-pace ball, on a length, wide on off. Miller generates his power to smash it through cover for a single only.
Pace off, short on middle and leg. Jordan pulls it off the back foot to deep backward square leg for another single.
Over and out - That brings an end to a highly entertaining day of cricket in Southampton. The Southern Brave have done the double over the Birmingham Phoenix. First, the women led by Sophie Molineux executed a commanding win over Ellyse Perry's troops, continuing their unbeaten run this season. And come the evening, the men just held their nerves while defending a not-so-threatening total to bag their first points. Next up, the road takes us back to Old Trafford, where the men and women of the Manchester Super Giants take on the Trent Rockets in Manchester. That game will be played on Friday, July 31st, 2026. The first ball will be bowled at 2 pm GMT (7.30 pm IST), for the women's game, before the men take the field at 5.30 pm GMT (11 pm IST). But do tune in early for the buildup. Cheers!
The leader speaks - The captain of Southern Brave, Chris Jordan, is up for a quick chat with the broadcasters. Jordan says he is extremely proud of the bowlers for the way they defended the total. He admits Brave had been involved in a few close games this season and is pleased to finally get over the line. Jordan says he tried to mix up their bowling options to ensure Birmingham Phoenix did not get two looks at the same bowler. On Adil Rashid, Jordan calls him a magician and says his experience once again came to the fore. Mentions that Adil is a genuine leader who always wants the ball in the toughest moments. Jordan says this format is all about gut feel and believes there is no point looking too far ahead. Chris says that he is fortunate to have several experienced leaders in the dressing room, adding that Marcus Stoinis is no different. Says that it was not a great total, but they had to find a way to defend it. He hopes the win helps them gather momentum going forward.
Hunted in a pack - Borrowing a leaf straight out of the visitors' bowling manual, the Brave attack blended pace and length shrewdly to keep the screws tightened. Stoinis drew first blood, and that opening breakthrough seemed to set the tempo for the rest of the attack, who kept striking at crucial moments. Archer and Wood turned up the heat with raw pace, and Stoinis and Jordan varied things up smartly. But it was the wily old fox, Adil Rashid, who really strangled the innings with a brilliant spell in that middle phase. With all chipping, the Phoenix slipped badly from 52/1 to 115/9. There was a brief fight shown by Sean Dickson in the end, but running out of wickets, he couldn't quite get the job done. Also, credit where it's due. The fielding from the hosts was spot on, which made a key difference as well.
A slippery start - Chasing any total on a progressively sluggish pitch like the one in Southampton, the Powerplay becomes extremely important for both teams. From a batting pov, a strong start is crucial. For the bowlers, it's a non-negotiable to make early inroads, especially defending modest totals like today's. The Phoenix didn't have a swashbuckling start to their chase. In fact, they crawled out of the Powerplay and lost Clarke with not much on the board. And coming to the halfway mark, they also lost Smeed, who ended up being the highest run scorer of the game.
Stuck in the first gear - Earlier in the game, every time a Brave batter threatened to shift through the gears, a wicket came along to reset the clock. McKinney, Abell, Stoinis and Miller all got starts, but none could kick on. On a Southampton surface that got stickier as the shine wore off, the Phoenix bowlers turned that into a science, mixing pace off with heavy, skiddy lengths to keep batters pinned. Wickets were shared around the group, but Rehan Ahmed's three-for stood tallest, while Usman Tariq, despite finishing wicketless, was the picture of miserliness. The Brave never found that extra gear, and the finish never arrived.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH - MARCUS STOINIS receives the award for his all-round contributions. He scored a crucial 34 (26) with the bat, and also picked up 2 wickets. Stoinis says the dressing room is pumped after the win and admits Southern Brave desperately needed it. On batting first, Stoinis says it was difficult to judge what would be a good score on a fresh wicket. He feels another 10 runs would have made the chase even tougher for Birmingham Phoenix. Stoinis also believes bowling second gave Brave an advantage and, as an all-rounder, helped him better understand what was difficult to hit on the surface. He says consistency and subtle changes in pace were the key on a wicket like this, and those variations worked well for him.
'Brave'ly defended - A well-deserved win for the Southern Brave in front of their home crowd. This gets them off the mark this season and ends their three-match losing streak. They were a bit underwhelming with the bat, but as a bowling unit, they hunted in a pack, and one can sense a sigh of relief in that Brave camp. But what an entertaining game of cricket overall, a well-fought one from both teams. And with this win, the Southern Brave jump over the Birmingham Phoenix and move up to seventh, while the visitors drop to rock bottom.
Joy all around at Utilita Bowl as Southern Brave win by 12 runs and pick up their first points of the season. On a back of a length, on middle. Sean Dickson swings at it but mistimes his shot. Chips it back past the bowler. Wood sticks out his right hand but the ball stays out of his reach.
Wood steams in from around the wicket and goes searching for the yorker but it comes out as a high full toss, on middle. Dickson's weight is on the back foot and he cannot get it away. Bunts it to cover.
Just wow! Rashid with an act of brilliance in the field. Usman Tariq is the last man in for the Phoenix with 14 needed off 2 balls.
OUT! SAQIB MAHMOOD IS RUN OUT! Not a hat-trick for Luke Wood, but Adil Rashid comes up with a magic moment to all but seal the win for Southern Brave. Wood hits the back of a length, on off. Mahmood dabs it straight to backward point. Adil Rashid is in really tight there and collects the ball on the bounce. He steadies himself before scoring a direct hit at the bowling end with Mahmood short of his ground. Phoenix now need 14 from the final two balls, and Southern Brave are on the verge of opening their account this season.
That's probably the game for the Brave. With Dickson off strike, there will be a new batter, a tailender at the crease. Saqib Mahmood walks in at number 10 and will face the Hat Trick Ball.
OUT! EDGED AND GONE! Two in two for Luke Wood. From around the wicket for the new batter, pace off and into the surface, on middle. Currie gets his hands high for the pull but only manages to get a feather behind, and Jamie Smith gobbles it up. 14 needed off 3 with Sean Dickson still at the other end.
OUT! CAUGHT! An ideal start to the final set. Sean Dickson kept away from the strike. Full and angled in at the left-hander, Dwarshuis gets low and tries to whip it away on the leg side. It balloons off a leading edge towards extra cover, where David Miller moves to his right and dives to take the catch.
Anyone's game? Surely. 14 runs needed off 5 balls. Luke Wood will bowl the last set of five.
From around the wicket now, full and at pace, on middle. Dickson clears the front leg and has a swipe across the line. Swats it away to deep backward square leg and cannot come back for the second run. 14 runs off the set.
SIX! Wow, what a hit. Pressure on Chris Jordan now to finish the set well. Off-cutter, on a back of a length, on middle. Dickson hangs deep in the crease and swings it away over deep square leg for a biggie.
Running out of time! Jordan sprints back to his bowling mark as they are closing in on the cut-off time. Oh, dear! The on-field umpire signals that the Brave have been penalised for not completing their sets in time. Meaning, an extra fielder will have to be stationed inside the inner ring.
Wide! Full and at pace, sprayed down leg. Sean swings at it but misses.
Wide! Another slower, short ball is attempted, but this is too high. Sean Dickson lets it pass.
Good comeback. Back to bowling the slower bumper, over off. Dickson gets his hands high and swivels for the pull but the ball goes over the blade.
SIX! Hit straight as an arrow. Jordan serves it full, on off and middle. Dickson takes a step back in the crease and gets it right in his slot. He puts his head down and swings through the line, dumping it back over the bowler's head.
Begins with the off-cutter, on a shortish length, over off. Dickson has a heave across the line but he swings early. It grazes the toe end of the blade before dribbling towards the keeper.
That was a breathless spell from Archer. Probably the best he has bowled this season. Goes for 1/21 in 20 balls, bowling 12 dot balls. A pat on the back from skipper Jordan too, who had been livid with him over a misfield just a set earlier. Chris Jordan will bowl out. 29 needed off 10 balls.
Superb stuff from Archer. Just 2 runs off his final set. Spears it in very full, following the batter as he backs away. Ben makes room but cannot squeeze it out as he is beaten for pace.
Archer is bowling with serious wheels. At 89 mph, a sharp and quick bumper, following the batter as he backs away. Dwarshuis goes for the pull but it sails over his blade.
Archer goes for the yorker but it comes out as a full toss, on off. That is punched away to the right of deep cover for a couple. 100 UP FOR BIRMINGHAM PHOENIX!
How has that missed the leg stump? Jofra Archer cannot believe it. A searing yorker in line with the leg stump. Dwarshuis tries to dig it out but the ball shapes back in to go past the inside edge and whistles past the leg pole.
A big swing and a miss. Nice and full, a bit of tail back into the left-hander. Ben Dwarshuis backs away and swings with all his might. He is beaten on the inside edge and the ball sneaks past the leg stump.
Jofra Archer is back on for the final set. 31 runs needed off 15 balls for the Phoenix.