Summary

  • Fire slip to 40-4 and fail to pick up the pace as they post 100-8

  • Rockets start slowly but Villani hits a superb unbeaten 55 off 40 balls and Du Preez adds 32* off 20

  • Rockets win by eight wickets with 18 balls to spare and go ahead of Phoenix into third and final knockout spot

  • Phoenix play game in hand against Spirit on Tuesday

  • Fire finish with one win from their six matches

  • Tuesday's matches: Spirit v Phoenix women (15:00 BST) & men (18:30 BST)

Live Reporting

Timothy Abraham and Tom Mallows

  1. 6 runs

    Rockets 74-2

    Alex Hartley is back on to bowl, but the Lancastrian is walloped back over her by Mignon du Preez.

    That is six. Top shot.

  2. Aatif Nawaz
    BBC Radio

    That was a chance, but what an outstanding dive. That was a sensational effort.

  3. dropped catch

    Villani dropped on 46

    Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No it's, ahem, Fran Wilson. This would have some catch...

    Elyse Villani pulls Lauren Filer towards the boundary and Wilson almost appears to be flying through the air, but despite making up the ground she is unable to hold on.

  4. The worm shows Trent Rockets Women are five runs ahead of Welsh Fire Women. Trent Rockets Women are 65 for 2 after 60 balls. At the same stage Welsh Fire Women were 60 for 4.BBC Sport

  5. Rockets 65-2

    Top knock from Elyse Villani who is closing in on a half-century here with her third consecutive four, reverse sweeping Hannah Baker to the boundary.

    Baker earns her, erm, bread in the next four balls with just one run from it.

    Strategic timeout for the Fire.

  6. James Taylor
    Former England batter on BBC Radio

    She has had so much time and poise to play these shots. She's just touched that finesse button on her PlayStation remote now.

  7. Aatif Nawaz
    BBC Radio

    That is one of the best ramp shots you'll see. And the next ball has been driven straight beautifully, she's looking to get these runs quickly now.

  8. Rockets 60-2

    Big set for Trent Rockets with three boundaries from that the set of Nicola Carey, all from the bat of Elyse Villani.

    The pick of them is ramp over the wicketkeeper, followed by a lovely straight-batted shot down the ground.

    Lift off for the Rockets.

  9. James Taylor
    Former England batter on BBC Radio

    The experienced player and captain for the Trent Rockets, Elyse Villani, is well-set. If you're in the Rockets' dug out, you'd imagine to get these runs in less than 50 balls. She hits the ball along the ground but powerfully, great to see her playing low-risk shots.

  10. 50 balls to go graphicBBC Sport

  11. Rockets 46-2

    Annabel Sutherland, no relation to Kiefer or Donald as far as I know, with another good set as she keeps it tight to Elyse Villani and Mignon du Preez.

    Three runs from her set. 55 from 50 needed, but they'll need to do it in 10 balls fewer than that to go above Birmingham Phoenix in the standings.

  12. James Taylor
    Former England batter on BBC Radio

    Villani got close to the pitch of the ball, gave herself a bit of room and absolutely crunched that through the offside. That was a really good shot.

  13. Rockets 43-2

    Elyse Villani moves her feet down the pitch and crisply hits Alex Hartley down the ground for four.

    Nice shot. That was much needed for Trent Rockets

  14. James Taylor
    Former England batter on BBC Radio

    Huge moment in the game! Sciver, a banker in the Trent Rockets' team, is gone.

    With the ball coming to Sciver a bit slower, it was difficult. Hartley is not the biggest turner of the ball.

  15. wicket

    WICKET

    Sciver c Nicholas b Hartley 5 (Rockets 58-2)

    "Yesssss!!!" roars Alex Hartley.

    Nat Sciver reverse slog-sweeps Hartley, but can only find the hands of Claire Nicholas at short third.

    That's a big wicket for Welsh Fire. Trent Rockets are wobbling a bit here.

  16. Nikesh Rughani
    BBC Radio

    It was really well bowled by Filer, completely outfoxing Villani - the perfect yorker. That's lucky runs.

  17. Rockets 38-1

    Lauren Filer continues, and her second delivery to Elyse Villani is a bouncer with good pace which the Rockets batter swishes at but is unable to make contact.

    Well bowled.

    The final ball of Filer's set is right at the bottom of the stumps, but Villani is able to get some bat on it and the ball goes to the right of the wicketkeeeper and races away to the boundary for four.

  18. James Taylor
    Former England batter on BBC Radio

    It was the big wicket of Nat Sciver as well. That's the last thing you want as a fielder, when you've dropped a catch already, you don't want another coming towards you in quick succession.

  19. Nikesh Rughani
    BBC Radio

    It was a difficult chance but a decent height. That should have been two down now. It's one of those, it wakes you up and warms your fingers up but doesn't look good to your teammates.

  20. dropped catch

    Sciver dropped on two

    That brings England's Nat Sciver into bat for Trent Rockets. She'll be looking to get the scoreboard moving, and she's off the mark quickly.

    A couple of balls later and Sciver whacks Nicola Carey straight to Tammy Beaumont, but the ball is struck so hard it goes through her hands.

    Could that drop prove costly?