Invincibles Crush Phoenix in Hundred Season Opener.

Cricket The Hundred

Invincibles Crush Phoenix in Hundred Season Opener.

Paige Scholfield scored 71, leading the Oval Invincibles to a 45-run victory over the struggling Birmingham Phoenix in the first match of The Hundred women's competition.

Scholfield's 71 off 40 balls was her first half-century in the competition, including 12 sixes. She and Alice Capsey (52) added 90 runs for the second wicket.

Emily Arlott took 2-19 for the Phoenix, but the Invincibles set a strong total of 150-5.

The Phoenix, who lost all their matches last year, had never chased more than 128 in The Hundred. Their 11th straight defeat seemed certain as star players Suzie Bates (6), Ellyse Perry (0), and Sophie Devine (13) struggled.