It was an evening of utter domination and celebration at Edgbaston as the Birmingham Phoenix thrashed the Northern Superchargers to take a historic victory in The Hundred Men’s Competition. This win was led by the sterling bowling effort of New Zealanders Adam Milne and Tim Southee, followed by an authoritative English batting display by Ben Duckett and Moeen Ali.
However, the undoubted highlights of the day were two astonishing moments during the Phoenix’s chase of a modest target of 84 for victory. The first defining moment arrived when Duckett, not exactly known for his unorthodox shots in T20s, really nailed a bit of a premeditated ramp shot over the keeper’s head off Matt Potts.
Ooh, Ben Duckett! 🤩#TheHundred | #RoadToTheEliminator pic.twitter.com/9Iwb1fkmQC
— The Hundred (@thehundred) August 6, 2024
It was almost as if he had identified Potts’ line and length even before the ball was released, sending it sailing over fine-leg in an absolute beauty for six. Shortly afterwards, Duckett repeated the dose on the 29th ball, this time against a full toss from Jordan Clark..
Ben Duckett is at it again with the ramp shot! 🙇#TheHundred | #RoadToTheEliminator pic.twitter.com/oc3e7szB5w
— The Hundred (@thehundred) August 6, 2024
With excellent timing and accuracy, he dispatched it to a one-bounce boundary in the same region. While the delivery did make things somewhat easier, Duckett’s anticipation and skill were a joy to watch.
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For an entire innings, Duckett and Moeen batted with unbegrudged mastery, making the Superchargers’ bowlers absolutely powerless against the onslaught. Duckett remained not out on 43* off just 20 balls, while Moeen contributed a commanding 37* off 21.
The dominance of their act made light work of chasing down the second-lowest total ever recorded in The Hundred, propelling the Phoenix to third place on the points table after five games this season.
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The victory has not only showcased Duckett and Moeen as brilliant players but also highlighted that the team does not have any weak spots, thereby laying the groundwork for the pulsating continuation of this competition. Their rise in the standing ranks goes on to underline that they indeed are potential contenders driven by some truly exceptional contributions from both its bowlers and batsmen.
