The Hundred: Matthew Parkison dismisses Chris Cooke with stunning leg-break

With the tracks being batting-friendly nowadays, you don’t often see the ball turning miles in limited-over games. However, that was exactly the case during the Manchester Originals vs Birmingham Phoenix match in The Hundred on Monday (July 26). To everyone’s surprise, the pitch at the Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester had a lot of assistance for spinners. While many bowlers shone in the game, Matthew Parkinson was unarguably the stand-out performer.

The young leg-spinner made great utilization of the surface and made the white ball talk. In fact, his deliveries were turning sharp constantly, and Birmingham Phoenix batters couldn’t do much. Parkinson took four wickets in the game as the Birmingham-based side got bundled out for mere 84 runs while batting first.

Matthew Parkinson turns the ball miles

Parkinson dismissed Liam Livingstone early in the game before taking three wickets inside four balls in the fag end of the innings. While all his wicket-taking deliveries were stunning, his sharp turner to dismiss Chris Cooke hogged the maximum highlight. Coming over the wicket, Parkinson pitched the ball outside the leg stump and Cooke tried to guide the ball on the leg side.

However, the ball turned enormously after hitting the deck and went onto hit the off-stump. While Cooke looked in disbelief, the Manchester Originals players were ecstatic. It was indeed a sensational display of spin bowling by Parkinson and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) selectors must have been impressed.

Meanwhile, Birmingham Phoenix’s target of 88 runs didn’t trouble the Manchester-based side much. Openers Jos Buttler and Philip Salt made brilliant contributions at the top as Birmingham never really looked in the hunt. There was a slight twist in the tale as Joe Clarke, Colin Munro, and Philip Salt got dismissed in quick intervals. However, Tom Lammonby played some good shots and took Manchester over the line in the 73rd ball.

With this win, Manchester Originals advance to third place in the team standings. On the other hand, Birmingham Phoenix slipped down to the fourth spot and they would like to go upwards soon.

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