Usama Mir overshadows England stars with bat and ball to lead Originals win
Written by I Dig SportsManchester Originals 160 for 8 (Buttler 43, Mir 32*, Howell 3-21) beat Birmingham Phoenix 111 (Livingstone 27, Hartley 3-13, Little 2-15, Mir 2-27) by 49 runs
Mir boosted Manchester from No. 8 with an inventive 14-ball assault and finished with 2 for 27 from 20 balls as last year's finalists claimed their first win after an early defeat and no result.
England limited-overs fringe quick Richard Gleeson also returned 2 for 22, including Moeen lbw, as he bowled in a match for the first time since January following wrist surgery.
This was Birmingham's first completed fixture after two no results.
After being inserted, the Originals were only 26 for 1 after 25 balls following Phil Salt's early departure lbw to Adam Milne.
Buttler continued his encouraging start to the competition with a quartet of boundaries in 33 balls, adding to previous scores of 37 not out and 62.
But Ashton Turner, for 21 like Evans, was caught behind attempting to fend off a vicious Tom Helm bouncer before Buttler's departure was followed by Paul Walter falling caught at short fine leg off Howell to make it 105 for 6 after 76 balls.
Significant impetus was added as Mir scooped, ramped and clobbered a six over midwicket off Kane Richardson. Jamie Overton also powered a useful 22 before being run out as one of two late wickets.
Phoenix's chase then slipped to 21 for 3 after 14 balls. They lost openers Will Smeed and Ben Duckett caught at midwicket against Gleeson and fellow quick Josh Little before the former struck Moeen on the back pad with a searing yorker.
Liam Livingstone and Jamie Smith, the latter twice in two balls, hit sixes to advance. But it was only a brief respite. Smith was caught at long-on for 15 off Walter's left-arm seam before Mir had Dan Mousley lbw, leaving Phoenix with a mountain to climb at 64 for 5 after 47. And it was a task too great.
Hartley finished with a late 3 for 13 and Ireland's Little added a second wicket to wrap up victory.