Brutal Pollard hands Brave victory over Rockets

Pollard lashed 30 runs from Rashid Khan's set

The Hundred men's competition, Utilita Bowl

Trent Rockets 126-8 (100 balls): Banton 30 (17); Jordan 3-22

Southern Brave 127-8 (99 balls): Pollard 45 (23); Turner 3-24

Southern Brave won by two wickets

Scorecard. Table

Kieron Pollard hit five consecutive sixes to lead Southern Brave to a thrilling two-wicket victory over Trent Rockets in the men's Hundred competition at the Utilita Bowl.

Chasing 127, Brave were struggling on 78-6 before the West Indian all-rounder smashed all five balls of Rashid Khan's final set clear of the boundary to drag his side back into the tie.

Having hit a further two fours, both Pollard and Jofra Archer were run out in a nervy final 10 balls, before Chris Jordan's four through backward square sealed the win with one ball to spare.

Rockets won the toss and chose to bat, reaching 46 without loss before losing openers Tom Banton and Adam Lyth without adding any more to their total.

The visiting side scored steadily but lost wickets periodically, with five of their top six falling for scores in the teens.

Chris Jordan then dismissed Rashid Khan and Luke Wood in the space of three balls as Rockets finished on 126-8.

Brave started positively, reaching 43-0 before Alex Davies was caught by Banton off the bowling of Sam Cook from the 30th ball of the innings.

The home side would then lose a further five wickets, three of them to seamer John Turner, in the next 50 balls and score just 30 runs.

But Pollard, who had started with a scratchy six from 14, ended that spell dramatically with brutal hitting against Rashid.

In the space of five balls he put his side back in the contest, and nine balls later Jordan struck the winning runs to put Brave level at the top of the table.

What else do you need to know?

• Brave now sit level with Oval Invincibles at the top of the table on 10 points each, with the London side holding first position through a superior net run-rate. Brave have, however, played one game more. Rockets remain in fourth place, just behind Northern Superchargers in the final knockout qualification spot.

• The period from balls 47-80 was particularly slow, with Brave scoring just 18 runs, all singles bar a solitary two.

• Prior to Pollard's 30-run set, Brave needed 49 from 20 balls. Five balls later, they needed 19 from 15.

'I had to back myself' - what they said

Brave batter Kieron Pollard: "Obviously I had to make a play at some point. I was really slow to start, I didn't think it was a pitch where you could just come in and try and hit the ball, so I had to calculate and pick my bowler.

"When I thought Rash [Khan] was going to bowl the previous over, I was like 'Hmm, bring him on in the next 10' because I've got a better chance going down to the smaller side. Luckily it came off.

"I've played a lot against him, he's got me out a lot of times, when I came into bat they bowled him as well. I knew what sort of lines and lengths he was going to bowl and I had to back myself. He bowled three fuller balls and it was right into my arc. This was just one of those days I take victory on my side."

What is happening on Sunday?

It's a derby day in The Hundred on Sunday.

Oval Invincibles host London Spirit (women's at 11:00 BST, men's 14:30) and then Manchester Originals take on Northern Superchargers (women's at 14:30 BST, men's at 18:00).

You can follow ball-by-ball commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app.