Top 3 reasons why Birmingham Phoenix Men lost to Welsh Fire Men in the Hundred 2025 match 24

Birmingham Phoenix Men has lost to Welsh Fire Men by 8 wickets in Match 24 of The Hundred 2025 at Edgbaston. Batting first, Phoenix scored only 138/9 in 100 balls, with Jacob Bethell leading the scoring with 38. Unfortunately, the middle order of Phoenix was able to contribute only a few brief knocks and the lack of partnerships and the flow of the innings continued throughout their innings. The target was comfortably achieved by the Welsh Fire, who ended at 140/2 in 89 balls after a calm and composed innings from their top order. Here are the main reasons why the Birmingham Phoenix Men lost the match.

1. Disjointed Batting Performance by Phoenix

Wickets kept falling at regular intervals in Phoenix’s innings, which is why they lacked a good flow of the game. In fact, the only positive was Jacob Bethell’s 38 off 28 balls. In no instance did a batter reach a start and go on to take charge of the match. The inability to stitch together big partnerships restricted them to a modest 138/9.

2. Fire’s Top Order Dominance

Welsh Fire’s chase was led by their top three, who each played important roles. Stephen Eskinazi made 42 off 29, Jonny Bairstow made 35 off 21, and Steve Smith top-scored with 47 not out off 36. Their ease of scoring meant the target was never in doubt as Welsh Fire cruised home comfortably.

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3. Lack of Penetration in Phoenix’s Bowling Attack

Phoenix's bowlers were unable to create any pressure, nor did they provide any breakthroughs when it mattered. Only Benny Howell (1/17) and Adam Milne (1/32) got amongst the wickets, while the rest of the attack, including Chris Wood (0/13), were unable to contain Fire's scoring. When Eskinazi and Smith were both dominating, Phoenix's bowlers had no answers and Fire easily secured the win with 11 balls to spare.