Root guides Fire to victory over Phoenix

Joe Root marked his return as England Test captain with an unbeaten 58 as Welsh Fire cruised to a seven-wicket win over Birmingham Phoenix at Edgbaston in The Hundred. Root, reappointed to the Test role on Thursday, set the tone early by hitting his first three balls for four and finished with 58 off 40. His 77-run opening stand with Phil Salt put Fire firmly on track, and they reached the target of 138 with four balls to spare.

Salt made 46 from 36, including four sixes, and had a reprieve when a caught-behind off Saqib Mahmood was overturned after the bowler was called for a no-ball. However, he later fell lbw. Rachin Ravindra also went lbw, and Jordan Cox was bowled by Mahmood for 20 from 14 when only six runs were needed. Root then sealed the chase with a reverse-scoop for four and a single.

Phoenix had chosen to bat and started strongly, Joe Clarke taking 20 from Sam Cook’s final five balls as they passed 50 inside the powerplay. From 53-1 they slipped to 79-5, losing three wickets in nine balls. Clarke top-scored with 35 off 23, while Laurie Evans and Rehan Ahmed were run out in quick succession after poor judgment. Donovan Ferreira gave brief hope with two sixes before falling for 23 off 21, and Phoenix limped to 137-9. Lockie Ferguson and Marco Jansen each finished with two wickets.

The victory, Fire’s third of the season, lifted them from fifth to second in the standings, behind Trent Rockets on net run-rate. Phoenix, meanwhile, have lost three straight since winning their opener and remain bottom.