Summary

  • London Spirit fall short despite some lusty late blows

  • Short hits unbeaten half-century for Rockets in their 123-4

  • Trent Rockets top the table with three wins out of three

Live Reporting

Kal Sajad and Phil Dawkes

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  2. Rockets 38-1

    Excellent work from Nabi. Job done.

  3. Rockets 37-1

    Big wicket that for Spirit. Hales was just warming up.

    Dawid Malan is no slouch, though. Just the top ranked T20 batsman in the world, that's all.

  4. New batter: Dawid Malan

    Dawid MalanBBC/ECB

  5. Chris Green
    Middlesex all-rounder on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    Clever bowling, after conceding back-to-back fours he goes for another set of five balls and drags his length back.

  6. wicket

    WICKET

    Hales st Rossington b Nabi 21 (Rockets 37-1)

    GONE!

    The faith in Nabi is rewarded as Hales runs down the track and the bowler is too wily, firing a ball in a bit quicker to beat the shot and draw the stumping.

  7. Rockets 37-0

    Hales slaps a ball on the full through cover for four and then drops to one need to plunder a one-bounce four on the opposite side of the pitch.

    A fine end to the powerplay.

    75 balls to goBBC Sport

  8. Rockets 29-0

    Nabi is back as the spin continues. Keeps the Rockets in check.

    ShortGetty Images

  9. Chris Green
    Middlesex all-rounder on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    He bowled a good first five, created a tough chance off his own bowling but as we know in this format that when batters start lining you up and taking more risks.

  10. Rockets 26-0

    Van der Merwe finishes well after that six.

  11. Rockets 24-0

    It is an all-action start. Hales absolutely belts a six high and long over cow corner. To the short boundary but still a big blow.

  12. Chris Green
    Middlesex all-rounder on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    That hurts as a bowler, it should have been a dot ball.

  13. Rockets 15-0

    Van der Merwe continues. Short cuts for four, helped by Chris Wood who completely misses the collection. Bowler will be fuming.

  14. Rockets 11-0

    Hales' first sight of Van der Merwe sees the bowler come out on top with a dot and sliced single. Hales is living on the edge a bit here.

  15. Chris Green
    Middlesex all-rounder on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    I'm yet to see a better player of left-arm off-spin than Alex Hales.

  16. Rockets 9-0

    Four! Short is all over this short ball to hack away to the rope.

  17. Chris Green
    Middlesex all-rounder on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    That's a tough catch but he's saved himself four runs there.

  18. dropped catch

    Short dropped on 2

    Rockets 5-0

    More spin. Roelof van der Merwe. Short out down! He smashes this straight at the bowler, who does well to stop four, never mind hold on.

  19. Chris Green
    Middlesex all-rounder on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    This start of this fixture hasn't disappointed, the two overseas bowlers right in the thick of it against Hales and Short.

  20. Rockets 5-0

    This is a lesson in early power play bowling from the home side.

    Hales takes a huge sweep and gets lucky as his top edge falls safe behind the keeper. It is caught before it can reach the rope.