Rockets 104-1published at 67 balls

67 balls

He definitely has more in the tank.

Dawid Malan has slog-sweeped Ish Sodhi over deep square leg for another huge six! His third of the innings so far.

50 for Dawid Malanpublished at 66 balls

66 balls

They all count. Dawid Malan slices the ball into the air but the ball lands safe between two converging Welsh Fire fielders. It's a fifty for Malan off just 33 balls.

And you sense he has plenty more in the tank.

Good running from Dawid Malan as he works the ball straight to long-off for two.

That's a decent response though from Matt Critchley as he draws Malan into a play and miss outside off stump.

Critchley has come up with one or two fine deliveries this evening for no reward.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore is the new batter and he gets a single off his second ball to get off the mark.

Relief for Welsh Fire after finally making a breakthrough, but can they capitalise?

Lydia Greenway
Former England batter on BBC Radio

A change in field did the trick. Payne bowled it a bit straighter and the deep cover boundary rider mopped up. At this stage you'd expect Hales to keep going.

Aatif Nawaz
BBC Radio

Hales looks down at his bat because it didn't seem like it was right out of the screws. Regardless, he had enough on it.

Rockets 87 -0published at 55 balls

55 balls

In the air...but six!

Ish Sodhi has been Fire's most economical bowler so far but his figures are ruined somewhat by Alex Hales, who plays a huge slog-sweep that just evades a diving Leus du Plooy on the deep mid-wicket boundary.

Lydia Greenway
Former England batter on BBC Radio

I have loved watching these two bat. The misfield from ball one has given them the momentum and they have carried on.

Aatif Nawaz
BBC Radio

The runs continue to pile for the Rockets. They are giving their home crowd quite the show.

They are very good at hitting boundaries, but Alex Hales and Dawid Malan are equally adept at rotating the strike, finding the gaps and running the ones and twos.

Five singles off George Scrimshaw's second set lifts Rockets up to 78-0 at the halfway stage.

You sense they could go big here.

In fact that six was so big the ball has been lost.

There are a couple of Welsh Fire players desperately hunting around the covers and sight screens to try and find it but to no avail.

A new ball is thrown to George Scrimshaw, who will bowl the next set.

Lydia Greenway
Former England batter on BBC Radio

The best part is Malan showing the full face of the bat. Going straight is the way. I thought we were about to have a catch here.

Aatif Nawaz
BBC Radio

That is outstanding from Malan. That was such a clean strike!

Rockets 73-0published at 45 balls

45 balls

Lift off! This is absolutely huge.

A hop and a skip down the track from Dawid Malan and he has dispatched Matt Critchley back over his head for six. Wonderful, wonderful hitting.

Lydia Greenway
Former England batter on BBC Radio

I think every time I have covered a game here, Alex Hales has scored runs. He is striking it so well. That was a great shot.

Jake Ball attempts a yorker but it turns into a full toss. You don't do that to Alex Hales. He has just biffed the ball right back from whence it came for another four.

That was emphatic.

James Taylor
Former England batter on BBC Radio

Be it the Vitality Blast or The Hundred, Malan has shown intent throughout. If you're in that England dressing room, that is exactly what you want from your opening batter.

When it rains it pours.

Dawid Malan misses a reverse sweep off Ish Sodhi but the ball misses the stumps and escapes through Joe Clarke's legs before running away for four byes.