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)

  1. Today's match-uppublished at 15:28 British Summer Time 29 August 2022

    Today's match-up sees a couple of England World Cup winners go head-to-head.

    Trent Rockets' Nat Sciver has certainly lived up to her reputation as one of the game's best all-rounders.

    She is the sixth-highest run scorer in the women's competition with 151 runs in four innings, with the rest of the top five having played one more game. The 30-year-old has also taken 1-24, 0-25 2-20 and 0-25 with the ball.

    Alex Hartley meanwhile has impressed for Welsh Fire despite it being a difficult competition overall for the team.

    The spinner is the sixth most economical bowler in the competition and has picked up three wickets in five matches.

    Who will come out on top today?

    Nat Sciver and Alex HartleyImage source, ECB/BBC Sport
  2. The teamspublished at 15:26 British Summer Time 29 August 2022

    Trent Rockets: Elyse Villani, Bryony Smith, Nat Sciver, Mignon du Preez, Marie Kelly, Abi Freeborn, Katherine Brunt, Alana King, Sarah Glenn, Kathryn Bryce, Georgia Davis.

    Welsh Fire: Tammy Beaumont, Sarah Bryce, Rachael Haynes, Annabel Sutherland, Fran Wilson, Nicola Carey, Katie George, Lauren Filer, Claire Nicholas, Alex Hartley, Hannah Baker.

  3. Postpublished at 15:23 British Summer Time 29 August 2022

    Trent Rockets captain Elyse Villani: ""We've lost every single toss so it is not surprising that we have lost another one. But if we had won I would have chosen to bowl, so we've kinda won in a way."

    On why she is captaining the side instead of Nat Sciver: "Nat has had a really busy schedule so this is a great opportunity for her just to go out and play the game as an all-rounder. She's got a lot on her plate at it is so I'm just here to fill her shoes and do the best I can.

    "It is something I really enjoy. I do it a lot back home and I feel like it gives me a lot of energy as I can contribute to the team in a lot more ways."

    On whether there has been talk about net run-rate and what is needed to boost chances of reaching knockouts: "We need to just go out there, play well and stick to our plans. We have only done that in patches. If we get into a position then that is when that conversation comes into play."

  4. Postpublished at 15:21 British Summer Time 29 August 2022

    Welsh Fire captain Tammy Beaumont: "It is a used wicket and it should be the same for both teams but we want to put a big scoreboard pressure on them.

    "You start to lose a little bit of belief when you lose wickets but we've been telling the players that we've been in games for a long time and we're not been far away. But when you keep losing and being bottom of the table it can take a lot to still believe it, so it was great to get over the line.

    "We've just got to play well in all three facets of the game. They've got to come pretty hard to try and improve their net run-rate in case they can get through."

  5. Welsh Fire win the toss and will batpublished at 15:19 British Summer Time 29 August 2022

    Welsh Fire captain Tammy Beaumont calls the toss correctly and chooses to bat first.

  6. How it standspublished at 15:17 British Summer Time 29 August 2022

    This is how the table looks going into the final week of the women's Hundred.

    Birmingham Phoenix, Trent Rockets, Manchester Originals and Northern Superchargers can still join Southern Brave and Oval Invincibles in securing a place in the knockout stages.

    The Rockets must win against Welsh Fire to keep themselves in the hunt and put the pressure onto Birmingham Phoenix, who face London Spirit on Tuesday.

    Women's Hundred table: Brave 10, Invincibles 8, Phoenix 6, Rockets 4, Originals 4, Superchargers 4, Fire 2, Spirit 2Image source, BBC Sport
  7. Good afternoonpublished at 15:15 British Summer Time 29 August 2022

    We are into the final week of the Hundred and there is still so much to play for in the men's and women's competition.

    First up, it's a huge game for Trent Rockets women as they take on Welsh Fire knowing only a win is good enough to keep their eliminator hopes alive.

    No wonder these youngsters are excited.

    Trent Rockets fans celebrating a wicketImage source, Getty Images