Half-centuries from Moeen Ali and Liam Livingstone blasted Birmingham Phoenix to a thrilling seven-wicket win over Trent Rockets at Edgbaston.

Moeen smashed 52 from 27 balls in a match-winning partnership of 85 with Livingstone, who hit an unbeaten 51 from 32 balls including a huge six to seal victory with 14 balls to spare.

Benny Howell had earlier taken 3-28 from 20 balls to restrict Rockets to 145-6, despite a spirited 55 from 25 balls by Daniel Sams.

It was Rockets' first defeat of this year's Hundred, with both sides now having won three of their opening four matches.

Here's what also happened:

• Alex Hales and Dawid Malan have scored a combined 333 in three matches so far this tournament but fell for one and nine respectively.
• Howell’s three wickets came in the space of just eight deliveries, conceding just three runs, as Rockets were reduced to 53-6.
• A 92-run partnership between Sams (55 runs from 25 balls) and captain Lewis Gregory (35 from 22 balls) dragged Rockets up to 145-6.

• Luke Wood took all three wickets for Rockets with a hostile spell of fast bowling that included a vicious bouncer that spat up and hit Moeen on the side of the helmet.

• A remarkable five-ball set from Lewis Gregory to Moeen went for 4,6,4,4,wide and a dropped catch by Malan, who lost the ball in the floodlights as the ball fell from the sky.

What’s next?

Trent Rockets host Oval Invincibles at Trent Bridge on Wednesday (19:00 BST).

Birmingham Phoenix are back at Edgbaston on Friday against Northern Superchargers (19:00).

Tomorrow sees sees Welsh Fire and Manchester Originals go head-to-head at OId Trafford, with neither the men's or women's side yet to register a win in this year's Hundred.

The women's match begins at 15:00 with the men's game getting under way at 18:30.

The pitch wasn't the easiest for batting, as the women's game earlier demonstrated.

But Moeen Ali still gave the Edgbaston crowd plenty to cheer before he came Luke Wood's third victim.

Birmingham Phoenix's Liam Livingstone to Sky Sports: "It didn't feel easy. We knew with this side it would be hard to defend a total. They played really well towards the back end but it showed the value of taking wickets up front - that knocked them back a bit. We've been playing some nice cricket and it is nice to get over the line.

"When you bat with Moeen [Ali], we've both got confidence in our hitting ability, we know we can hit 20 off five balls whenever we fancy it. That Lewis Gregory set was probably the turning point. We say 'never lose our intent'.

"Me and Moeen both back each other instinct to take it down. I was waiting for Tabraiz Shamsi and he was waiting for seam. He didn't get hold of any of them and they were going for six. In a pressure situation it might just be something for him to stand there and go after it. I found seam tough to hit but Moeen found seam good to hit.

"It felt like we won the game in the first 20-25 balls of the game to be honest. We spoke about bowling Moeen Ali to Alex Hales and we said if he's going to hit us for six we've just got to take it. there is never any negativity with Moeen or our coaching staff, it is just about how to take wickets."

I wish I could score 52 off 28 even when it's feeling "horrible and ugly".

Match hero Moeen Ali speaking to Sky Sports: "It felt horrible and ugly but entertaining. It was nice to contribute and just hang in there but the winning was the most important thing. It was definitely set up by the bowlers though.

"They [Rockets] bowled really well up top and the wicket made timing difficult- even Livi found it difficult so we decided to slog a few and see how we would go.

"We thought it would be tight. They ended up getting a score in the end and sometimes any score on any surface the chances are there. We knew that we just had to hang in there and the boundaries would come.

"We are just doing the basics quite well. We're gathering some momentum now and it's always nice to win especially at home. We are unbeaten at home now and it's a tricky place for the opposition to come and play."

Spare a thought for these two for Trent Rockets, though.

Daniel Sams played a great knock to bring his side back in the game before Luke Wood delivered an inspired spell of bowling, taking all three Phoenix wickets to fall.

Birmingham Phoenix end Trent Rockets' unbeaten run, meaning both teams have now won three and lost one each.

London Spirit are still flying high with four wins from four.

The Phoenix bowlers set up tonight's victory very nicely on a tough pitch.

Steven Finn
Former England bowler on BBC Radio

Liam Livingstone is such a dangerous player. It's his highest score of the tournament and with 15 balls left, the crowd rise to applause what has been a really impressive run chase.

Yes, he can!

Liam Livingstone smokes it into the stands to take himself to a half-century and to lead his side to victory! What a way to finish!

Liam Livingstone needs five runs for 50.

Three to win it.

Can he?

Steven Finn
Former England bowler on BBC Radio

This game has ebbed and flowed. There hasn't been a foregone conclusion. We've seen Trent Rockets getting a bad start and then dragging themselves out of it through Lewis Gregory and Daniel Sams.

But Birmingham Phoenix fought back with Moeen Ali and Liam Livingstone's assault.

Livingstone dropped on 43published at 16 balls left

16 balls left

Phoenix 143-3

Ohhhh.

That's a tough one. It's gone so high that they've managed to run two, even though Lewis Gregory is fielding inside the circle!!

It looks like a bad drop but that was swirling, under lights, the noise of the crowd. Not easy.

Phoenix 141-3published at 18 balls left

18 balls left

Need 5 runs to win

Hit it harder, Liam Livingstone!

Absolutely crunched over the bowler's head for six more! Watch out in the crowd, he wants to finish this in style!

We've had a Moeen Ali 50 in this innings and sixes aplenty, but this is by far my favourite moment of the game.

Liam Livingstone throws absolutely everything at a free hit after Sam Cook bowls a no-ball. It's a miracle he's even held on to the bat.

He just gets a couple but the target is creeping ever closer now.

Is this the moment Moeen Ali was dismissed?!

Image source, Getty Images

And the next ball races away for four! Matthew Wade joins the party and Phoenix are in cruise control.

Steven Finn
Former England bowler on BBC Radio

Matthew Wade getting in on the six action here!

Phoenix 123-3published at 26 balls left

26 balls left

Oh, so close! Is this a drop? Harsh.

Matthew Wade absolutely whacks it towards Colin Munro on the leg-side boundary who sticks out a hand, while sprinting, but it just doesn't stick and the ball plops over for six.