Meg Lanning Leads London Spirit to Victory Over Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred

London Spirit triumphed over Birmingham Phoenix by 20 runs in a thrilling match at Lord's, with Meg Lanning scoring her first half-century in The Hundred. Despite a strong innings of 65 from Ellyse Perry, Phoenix fell short in their chase.

The game, watched by a crowd of 16,641—the fifth-largest in the women's Hundred—featured shifting momentum as star players on both teams made significant contributions. Phoenix, who had lost 11 consecutive matches in The Hundred, looked poised to challenge Spirit's total, but the rising run-rate and three late wickets from Sarah Glenn ensured a Spirit victory. This win marked Spirit's second consecutive victory of the season.

Lanning commented that the pitch became more challenging as the game progressed, noting that Phoenix's bowlers effectively slowed the pace, making it difficult to score. She emphasised the importance of maintaining focus and bowling straight, which paid off as Spirit contained Perry and Sophie Devine.

Earlier in the match, Spirit, wearing a special jersey in partnership with Transport for London, started strong with Lanning, Georgia Redmayne, and Cordelia Griffith finding the boundary frequently. Griffith's consecutive sixes off Emily Arlott were a standout moment. England captain Heather Knight added to the momentum with a crucial knock, helping Spirit reach 147 for 9, a score that appeared attainable for Phoenix.

Perry and New Zealand captain Devine put on an 89-run partnership, raising hopes for Phoenix. However, as the required rate climbed, the boundaries became elusive, and Glenn's effective bowling in the final overs sealed the win for Spirit. This victory left London Spirit at the top of the table with an unbeaten record in the tournament.