‘Can’t get better than this’ – Twitter Users Praise Birmingham Phoenix As They Thrash Defending Champions Southern Brave

Birmingham Phoenix and Southern Brave locked horns in the eighth game of The Hundred (Men’s) 2022 at Edgbaston, Birmingham. The home team was asked to bat first after losing the toss. However, they made the most of the opportunity to put runs on the board. Will Smeed and Chris Benjamin opened the innings as they scored 31 runs in 18 balls. The latter was caught behind by Quinton de Kock off Marcus Stoinis.

Moeen Ali scored quick 17 runs before chopping the ball on the stumps facing James Fuller. Liam Livingstone (21 off 20) wasn’t at his best with one four and as many six and was caught at covers by James Vince off Jake Lintott. Wicketkeeper batter Matthew Wade played a cameo before being caught at mid-off by Vince off Chris Jordan. Meanwhile, Will Smeed created history as he became the first centurion of the competition.

Birmingham Phoenix won the match by 53 runs against Southern Brave

He scored an unbeaten 101 off 50 balls including eight fours and six sixes. This inning helped the team to amass 176/4, the third-highest team in the history of the competition. In reply, Brave had an explosive start but it fizzled out quickly. Skipper James Vince scored 17 off five balls before he edged the ball to the stumps on the sixth ball. Stoinis followed seven balls later as he was dismissed by Tom Helm.

De Kock started well but was caught and got out by Henry Brookes for 15 runs. Alex Davies, who walked in after the fall of Stoinis did well by scoring 33 off 24 balls including two fours and a six. However, his inning was cut short by Brookes. The defending champions, Brave kept losing regular wickets and were never in the chase.

Their best finisher, Tim David could only score run-a-ball 11 while Ross Whiteley and Chris Jordan tried to bring the team back in the chase but to no avail. Brookes registered the third five-wicket haul in the history of the competition. The first two were Merchant de Lange and Imran Tahir last year. Talking about the result of the game, Birmingham won by 53 runs.

This is how Twitter reacted to the victory of Birmingham Phoenix:

https://twitter.com/ESPNcricinfo/status/1557464300691738625?s=20&t=4AJia8rthMkdeFSMgJ_WKg

https://twitter.com/thehundred/status/1557459116569894913?s=20&t=GV0W0oDQtNyWfWmq597H9Q

https://twitter.com/Jamesr02_/status/1557459489569361920?s=20&t=UVCxaapmRTfT1o-iQ1nBVg

https://twitter.com/Just80332758/status/1557463592223379456?s=20&t=UVCxaapmRTfT1o-iQ1nBVg

Nobody has done it before.

Could Will Smeed be the first to hit a century in The Hundred?

The Birmingham Phoenix batter needs 21 runs with 15 balls remaining.

📻 Listen live on @BBCSounds and @5liveSport extra#BBCCricket #TheHundred pic.twitter.com/JdrT1FKu3H

— Test Match Special (@bbctms) August 10, 2022

Product of Pakistan Super league. Thanks @TeamQuetta and Mr Nadeem Umar. Smeed is 1st player to score hundred in The Hundred tournament.#TheHundred #TheHundred2022 pic.twitter.com/vcbvcBTxeL

— Imran Zafar (@Gondal_hon) August 11, 2022

https://twitter.com/AadiLECE/status/1557580124622508032?s=20&t=UVCxaapmRTfT1o-iQ1nBVg

The first-ever Hundred century ✅
The first five-for of the season ✅
Thrashed 2021’s champions ✅

It doesn’t get much better than that from Birmingham Phoenix!#TheHundred

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) August 10, 2022

Hahha hundred match southern brave vs Birmingham phoenix

— Archer (@poserarcher) August 10, 2022

Will Smeed (101* off 50 for Birmingham Phoenix against Southern Brave) scores the first ever century of 'The Hundred'.

Previous highest score in this competition was 92* by Phoenix's Liam Livingstone against Northern Superchargers last year.#TheHundred

— Rhitankar Bandyopadhyay (@rhitankar8616) August 10, 2022