Last update on. From the section The HundredThe Hundred, Edgbaston Phoenix 129-9 (100 ball): Burns 45 (28); Farrant 323 Oval Invincibles 133-3 (97 ball): Van Niekerk 65* (51) Invincibles win with eight wickets Scorecard TableBirmingham Phoenix was ruined by dropped catches. Dane van Niekerk led Oval Invincibles, who won an eight-wicket victory in Edgbaston's Women's Hundred with Oval Invincibles.Van Niekerk struck a classic captain’s knock, scoring an assured 67 out of 51 balls as Invincibles chased 130 balls with three balls left.The Phoenix lost four of its catch, including the South Africa international Van Niekerk (40).Georgia Adams was also knocked down twice by them as Invincibles' opener. He hit 42 in an opening partnership with Van Niekerk.After Adams' dismissal, Phoenix was able to get back in the game. Van Niekerk, however, had 14 balls left and needed to hit a four-run and a six consecutively.The Invincibles remain third on the table, but they have six points. They are two points behind Southern Brave, who has played one more game. Phoenix is seventh with two points, and they are struggling to make it to the later stages.After a tactical tweak, a captain's knockChris Green, an all-rounder for Middlesex, was a BBC pundit who played the game."Dane van Niekerk, take a bow," he said. That was exceptional."Van Niekerk is currently South Africa's captain. She has played for South Africa 185 times. It was all a sign of her experience.She was calm in Birmingham when the game got close and she twice whipped Phoebe Franklin to get boundaries. The second time, she hit six with six strikes over mid-wicket.After a crucial tactical adjustment, her innings were also successful.Oval Invincibles failed to achieve relatively simple targets of 113 or 110 in their previous two games, and their in-form skipper rose to the top of their order starting at number 5.It was a huge success - South Africa's international gave their innings an impetus right from the start.Phoenix drops cost PhoenixVan Niekerk shouldn't have been allowed to bring her side home.She needed 60 runs from 41 balls, but the game was not over. Kirstie Gordon mistimed an attack shot, and the ball went to Kirstie Gorge at mid-off. Gordon moved to her left, but she took the best of her chances.The next two deliveries were made for four in a huge swing of momentum.Gordon was again at fault soon after. He dropped Alice Capsey (16 years old), who scored the winning runs and first ball in a disappointing Phoenix fielding performance.Gwen Davies missed another chance to dismiss Adams at 34. She let the ball slip through her hands on the boundary edge.Katie Mack had dropped Adams on 12, but it was difficult to run in from the deep.These drops cost Phoenix the tournament and their chances of winning it. They have three games left to play and are only four points away from third place, which is the position required to qualify for elimination.
