Trent Rockets kept their slim hopes of a Hundred play-off place alive with a three-run victory over bottom side Birmingham Phoenix at Trent Bridge.
Bryony Smith starred with bat and ball for Rockets, striking 64 from 40 balls as they posted 134-6 and then conceding only seven of the 11 runs Phoenix required from the final set of five deliveries.
Rockets are now on seven points from seven games but will be out of contention for a top-three place if Welsh Fire, currently third on nine points, pick up one point from their final two matches, starting against London Spirit on Sunday.
Top two Southern Brave and Northern Superchargers have already secured play-off places and only Rockets and defending champions Oval Invincibles can prevent Fire from completing the top three.
Invincibles play Brave in Saturday’s second women’s match knowing only a victory will keep them in the play-off chase.
Smith’s fifty helped Rockets to 71-1 from 40 balls but they only managed 63-5 from the next 60 as Phoenix fast bowler Emily Arlott took three wickets – including bowling Nat Sciver-Brunt for 18 – and leg-spinner Katie Levick claimed two.
Bryony Smith hit a half-century for Rockets and then closed out their victory over Phoenix with the ball
Amy Jones (46no off 30) kept Phoenix in the chase, slapping Alexa Stonehouse for three fours in a row in the penultimate set of five, while Sterre Kalis (7no) then drove Smith through the covers to cut the requirement to seven from four balls.
But Smith shipped only three runs from that point as Phoenix finished on 131-4 and slipped to a sixth defeat in seven games, with their sole point so far this season coming by dint of a washout in the reverse fixture against Rockets.
Rockets next face Invincibles at The Kia Oval on Monday – by which time both teams could be out of the play-off race – while Phoenix end their campaign at home to Spirit on Thursday.
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