Alice Capsey found her best form as Oval Invincibles beat Birmingham Phoenix by 22 runs to earn their first victory of this year’s women’s Hundred.
The 21-year-old all-rounder, four years on from making her professional debut aged 16 in this competition, struck 52 from only 29 balls as the Invincibles piled up 174-5 – their highest total in the women’s Hundred and the third highest by any team.
Capsey has struggled for form in the past year but built on the platform laid by Lauren Winfield-Hill and Meg Lanning, who took 54 from the powerplay – also a women’s Hundred record.
After Lanning fell for 36 and Winfield-Hill for 33, the right-handed Capsey, with only one fifty in her past 32 T20 or Hundred innings, hit eight fours and one pulled six.
Strong on the drive and with her inventive reverse sweeps, she put on 57 in just 29 balls with Paige Scholfield, who made 25 not out from 16.
Requiring the highest successful chase in the women’s Hundred, Phoenix never really threatened in pursuit despite 22 from Georgia Voll, 25 from Emma Lamb, 29 from captain Ellyse Perry and Scotland international Ailsa Lister’s impressive 31 not out.
Perry hit Australia team-mate Amanda-Jade Wellington for six but was caught behind off the leg-spinner a ball later. Wellington also ran out England international Lamb at the non-striker’s end with a clever flick on to the stumps as Phoenix ended on 152-6.
The win means Invincibles, champions in the first two years of the Hundred, join Phoenix on four points after three games, each having one win and two defeats.
