The Hundred women’s competition, Edgbaston
Birmingham Phoenix 107-9 (100 balls): Lamb 47 (34); Deepti 3-11
Sunrisers Leeds 111-1 (69 balls): Litchfield 71* (33); Fatima 1-25
Sunrisers Leeds won by nine wickets
Sunrisers Leeds put three sides out of contention for the Hundred’s knock-out stage with a comprehensive nine-wicket win over Birmingham Phoenix at Edgbaston.
The home side, MI London and London Spirit can no longer progress after Phoebe Litchfield’s unbeaten 33-ball 71 helped take Sunrisers past their target of 108 with 31 balls to spare.
Opener Litchfield brought up her fastest ever half-century in the competition, reaching the landmark off 20 deliveries, and hit 13 fours and one six in her innings.
Bryony Smith was the only Sunrisers batter to fall, caught by Alana King off Fatima Sana for 12, with Lauren Winfield-Hill (26) joining Litchfield to put on an unbroken partnership of 87.
Only two Phoenix batters made it into double figures after they were put into bat, with Ellyse Perry and Emma Lamb scoring 31 and 47 respectively, while Deepti Sharma (3-11) and Kate Cross (2-14) impressed for the visitors.
Lamb was the last batter dismissed, run out by Litchfield, as Phoenix lost four wickets for five runs before closing on 107-9.
Sunrisers move above Welsh Fire into fourth and within two points of Manchester Super Giants in the last knock-out place, with all sides now having played six matches.
Bottom-side Phoenix and the London teams, with whom they are level on six points, will only be playing for pride in their last two fixtures.