The Hundred: Fi Morris making history with a fifer

Fi Morris achieved a remarkable feat as she became the first bowler to take a five-wicket haul in The Hundred Women's Competition. Her impressive figures of 5 for 7 helped Manchester Originals overpower Birmingham Phoenix on Monday (August 7). Morris and Sophie Ecclestone, who took 4 for 11 herself, bowled together and caused chaos in the Phoenix batting line-up in tandem.

Morris was introduced into the attack for the 12th set and she wasted no time as she picked up the wicket of Amy Jones with her first ball. Jones made a failed sweep attempt only to find herself trapped in front of the wicket. Jones was the fourth batter to be nabbed out with Ecclestone already taking the three prized scalps in Evelyn Jones, Sophie Devine, and Erin Burns.

"She (Ecclestone) is the best bowler in the world, to have her in the other end when I am bowling from one end makes my job a lot easier," Morris said as she heaped praises on her skipper.

The off spinning allrounder came back to bowl in the 16th set with Phoenix already reeling at 74 for 6. Abigail Freeborn was trying to rebuild the innings as she was batting on 12 off 10 at the time, but the ball from Morris spun-back sharply and the umpire raised her finger as Freeborn faced a similar fate as Jones.

On her Originals debut, captain Ecclestone trusted her to bowl during the death overs with Issy Wong, known for her ability to hit big, on strike. Morris kept her nerves and bowled according to the field as Wong skied one towards the cow corner straight into the safe hands of Kathryn Bryce.

Then came Hannah Baker, who lasted just three deliveries, and her innings was cut short by an unsuccessful attempt to whip the ball, leading Morris to rattle her leg stump.

ALSO READ: Shabnim Ismail breathes Fire

Morris, who plays regional cricket for Thunder now, at the end of her three sets already had dream figures 4 for 7, when she returned to bowl the ultimate set, she clattered the middle stumps of Charis Pavely. With this, she became the first-ever bowler to take a fifer in the women’s competition.

"It (pitch) was a bit slow and low, we obviously knew how to play at The Emirates (Old Trafford), we just stuck to our strengths and bowled a lot of spins today and it paid off" Morris added.

An elated skipper Ecclestone hugged her as Morris led the team off the field.

Morris and Ecclestone picked nine wickets between them and Phoenix could score only 87 runs. During the chase, Flintoff started well as she sent Emma Lamb back for a golden duck but a steady partnership between Laura Wolvaardt and Ami Campbell made sure that the home side were on the right side after a thrilling end to the match.

Morris, the Berkshire player, previously played for Southern Brave and Welsh Fire but managed to pick only four wickets across the two editions and bettered that in her first go for Originals.

“We bowled really well and fielded brilliantly as well so I think they were definitely under but we made a bit of hard work at the end (laughs), it's been a long couple of weeks not getting on the pitch, so to get out on the pitch in front of this crowd was brilliant” Morris concluded as she walked away with the player of the match award.