Rockets on the brink of knockouts after Dunkley fifty

The Hundred women's competition, Trent Bridge

Birmingham Phoenix 122-7 (100 balls): Lamb 45 (34); Garth 4-23

Trent Rockets 124-4 (84 balls): Dunkley 65 (37); Capsey 1-16

Trent Rockets won by six wickets

Scorecard, Table.

Sophia Dunkley struck her third consecutive half-century as Trent Rockets cruised to a six-wicket victory over struggling Birmingham Phoenix in the women's Hundred.

Chasing 123 at Trent Bridge, Dunkley struck 65 off 37 balls to reclaim her spot as the tournament's leading run-scorer and the Rockets reached their total with 16 balls to spare.

Dunkley, who found herself in and out of England's T20 side this summer, struck seven fours and two sixes and is averaging 51.80 in the tournament so far.

Phoenix had a glimpse of hope with the wickets of Nat Sciver-Brunt and Ash Gardner in consecutive deliveries before Dunkley fell with 21 runs still needed, but Sophie Luff held her nerve with 19 not out for a win that puts the Rockets at the top of the table.

The result all but confirms Rockets' place in the knockouts while Phoenix's contrasting fortunes, with one win from five games, puts them on the brink of elimination.

In the previous meeting between the two teams, Phoenix were bowled out for just 64 but despite some improvement, Rockets' bowlers dominated again as the visiting side were restricted to 122-7.

Phoenix's top order was unable to find any fluency as Davina Perrin made 18 off 13, Tammy Beaumont scored 24 off 21 and both Alice Capsey and Ellyse Perry fell cheaply for one.

Emma Lamb's counter-attacking 45 provided a late boost but she lacked the support to post a competitive total, while Australia seamer Kim Garth was the pick of Rockets' bowlers with 4-23.

The Hundred women's competition, Old Trafford

Manchester Super Giants 85-9 (100 balls): MacDonald-Gay 18* (14); Prendergast 4-18

Welsh Fire (91 balls): Wareham 17 (12); Ecclestone 3-14

Welsh Fire won by three wickets

Scorecard. Table

In Wednesday's earlier game, Ireland international Orla Prendergast took 4-18 as Welsh Fire beat Manchester Super Giants by three wickets at Old Trafford.

Playing only her second Hundred match after arriving as an injury replacement for Sophie Devine, the seamer tore through the Super Giants' top-order as the hosts slipped to 24-4.

Prendergast bowled Super Giants captain Meg Lanning for a golden duck, had Mady Villiers caught for five and then trapped Kathryn Bryce (4) lbw, before Heather Graham had Paige Scholfield (5) stumped.

India's Smriti Mandhana made 15 before she was run-out after being called through for a risky single, while Sophie Ecclestone (9) became Graham's second stumping victim.

Richa Ghosh was Prendergast's fourth wicket, caught in the covers for 11, but Ryana MacDonald-Gay top-scored from number nine, hitting an unbeaten 18 to help her side reach 85-9.

Fire reached 27 in their reply, before losing Sarah Bryce, caught and bowled by Bex Tyson for 16, while fellow opener Georgia Voll reached the same score before skying a catch off Villiers.

Ecclestone removed Freya Kemp (6) and Prendergast with successive balls, having her England team-mate clip to Lanning at short mid-on and then bowling the Ireland all-rounder. She also had Georgia Wareham caught well by Lanning for 17 in her figures of 3-14.

Graham guided Fire to a nervy victory, losing two further partners but hitting an unbeaten 16, including the winning runs as her side reached 88-7 with nine balls to spare.

The win moved Fire above Leeds Sunrisers into fourth place and two points behind Super Giants who remain third.

London Spirit face MI London at Lord's on Thursday.

In the women's competition, the visitors will be hoping to move off the bottom of the table against their sixth-placed opponents when they meet at 15:00 BST.

In the men's competition MI's men will be seeking to continue their tilt at top spot, while seventh-placed Spirit will be hoping to revive their season. They meet at 18:30 BST.

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