Summary

  • The Hundred: Trent Rockets v Birmingham Phoenix men, Trent Bridge

  • Rockets chase 112 to win by three wickets with one ball to spare

  • Rockets 113-7 (99 balls): Ahmed 37 (23); Bethell 2-22

  • In passing 69 during chase, Rockets guaranteed second spot in table

  • It means they will progress to Sunday's final v Invincibles if Saturday's Eliminator v Superchargers is washed out

  • Already-eliminated Phoenix made 111-9 (100 balls): Mousley 26 (25); Ahmed 3-15

Live Reporting

by Ffion Wynne & Matthew Henry

  1. Phoenix 94-8

    Lockie Ferguson v Trent Boult. New Zealand v New Zealand.

    Quick outside off stump and a massive swing and a miss from Boult. There's a bit of Marnus Labuschagne about Boult's batting.

  2. Phoenix 93-8

    Birmingham Phoenix were 42-1 after 27 balls. Now they're relying on Trent Boult's unconventional strokes to get them to 100.

  3. Nikesh Rughani
    Commentator on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    David Willey had a lot of ground to make up there. He is so quick and Phoenix are in danger of being bowled out here.

  4. wicket

    WICKET

    Milne c Willey b Sanderson 6 (Phoenix 92-8)

    This has been impressive from Trent Rockets.

    Another slower ball from Ben Sanderson. A skied thwack from Adam Milne. David Willey is safe under the high catch.

  5. Phoenix 89-7

    The slower balls into the pitch are proving hard to hit too. It's not really the surface you want to see in a white-ball tournament, even if the batting has been sketchy and the bowling good.

  6. Phoenix 86-7

    There has been one boundary since the 39th ball here.

  7. Thea Brookes
    Former Birmingham Phoenix all-rounder on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Joe Root wants to rush the batters. He gets the ball and gets back to his mark within seconds and has been rewarded for that.

  8. Phoenix 84-7

    Joe Root bowls 10 on the spin to deep shouts of his name from the crowd and has 1-8 from 15 balls. Trent Bridge has been a turning surface this year.

  9. Kieran Parmley
    CricViz analyst

    Rehan Ahmed's figures of 3-15 are his Hundred career best, beating his previous of 3-22 for Southern Brave, which also came against Phoenix, in Southampton in 2023.

  10. Daniel Norcross
    Test Match Special commentator on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Spin is doing the trick here. That was well taken behind the wickets by Ben Cox to whip the bails off.

    It is not supposed to turn like this at Trent Bridge!

  11. wicket

    WICKET

    Patterson-White c Cox b Root 1 (Phoenix 79-7)

    A beauuuuuty from Joe Roooooot! Liam Patterson-White nicks one that turns sharply. He would have been stumped had he not hit it.

  12. 6 runs

    Phoenix 79-6

    Ahhhh. David Willey is denied one of the great pieces of fielding on the boundary rope. He flicks the ball back in having leapt in the air but was standing on the sponge.

    That dents Rehan Ahmed's final figures just a little.

  13. Carlos Brathwaite
    Former West Indies all-rounder on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    As a coach I would be so upset with that. That boundary is MCG size. If you are going to hit it for six, you need to find the gap so if you don't make it, it goes for four.

  14. wicket

    WICKET

    Howell c Holden c Ahmed 3 (Phoenix 72-6)

    There is the third wicket! Rehan Ahmed has 3-8 from 17 balls.

    Benny Howell has just whacked him to the fielder at deep mid-wicket.

  15. Daniel Norcross
    Test Match Special commentator on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Rehan Ahmed is proving to be a handful here as is spin generally. You do get some purchase out of it on this pitch, we saw that in the women's game as well.

  16. Phoenix 72-5

    I'm not sure how Rehan Ahmed doesn't have a third wicket here. A top edge spends an age in the sky but no-one can get there. He's going to bowl 10 on the spin for a second time.

  17. Rockets 67-5

    Mousley 4, Howell 1

    It's almost two-in-two as George Linde tips one hit back to him by new batter Benny Howell over the bar like any good goalkeeper.

  18. Daniel Norcross
    Test Match Special commentator on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Liam Livingstone went for the pull but it was a little bit too full from George Linde and the ball scurried on.

    A big wicket.

  19. wicket

    WICKET

    Livingstone b Linde 10 (Phoenix 65-5)

    Liam Livingstone follows where his team-mates had gone before. He swings across the line to one that might skid a little low and is bowled.

    This Phoenix innings is going nowhere.

  20. Daniel Norcross
    Test Match Special commentator on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Joe Root was looking at David Willey saying give me the ball. He wanted five more.