152/7 (19.4)
CR : 7.73
150/6 (20.0)
CR : 7.50
Trent Rockets won by 3 wickets 🏆
Player of the Match
Joe Root
64(41)
Trent Rockets need 4 off 3 balls.
19.3
1
C Green to J Root
Full-toss on the stumps, Root gets down on his knee and swipes it to deep backward square-leg. Single taken.
Trent Rockets need 3 off 2 balls.
19.4
4
C Green to S Hain
FOUR! SUPERB FROM SAIM HAIN AND JOE ROOT! Full-toss outside-off, Hain runs down the pitch and drives it to the right of deep covers for a boundary. What a thrilling 3-wicket victory for the Trent Rockets and this importantly seals a Top 3 spot for the Rockets!
Over 20
Trent Rockets 152/7
Sam Hain4(2)
Joe Root64(41)
Chris Green2-34(19 b)
TR won by 3 wickets
09:53 PM IST, 05:23 PM Local Time: What a range of emotions as the Trent Rockets rejoice in front of the disappointed Welsh Fire fans. Cracking result for the Trent Rockets as they seal a Top 3 spot with this three wicket victory which went down to the penultimate ball of the match. Root, the star batter, showed his experience and class by remaining unbeaten on 64 off 41 balls to take his side home in a nervy finish.
Chasing 151 for victory, Tom Banton and Joe Root batted superbly with the Welsh Fire's bowlers also helping them with some loose bowling. Root, in particular, capitalized after being caught off a no-ball from David Payne on just the fourth delivery of the innings. The Fire reached 46/0 at the end of the Powerplay while the duo of Banton and Root put on 66 runs for the opening wicket. Just as the match was going away quickly, Ben Kellaway provided a much needed breakthrough for the Fire with Banton caught at extra-cover in the eighth set.
Rehan Ahmed also didn't last for long as he holed out to long-on off Saif Zaib's bowling. Then, the pair of Root and Max Holden built a mini partnership to take the Rockets to 112/2 after 70 balls when the Strategic Time-Out was taken. Soon, Chris Green brought the hosts back into the contest by removing Holden and Tom Moores in the space of four deliveries. George Linde came in and struck a six to give some hope but he was deceived by a slower bumper by Riley Meredith with Kellaway taking an excellent catch at deep backward square-leg.
The Rockets continued to make it more difficult for themselves with Marcus Stoinis departing cheaply after being caught at short fine-leg off David Payne's bowling. David Willey also departed off the very next delivery as the home fans started to believe strongly. With 14 required off the last five balls, Chris Green came onto bowl but Root released a huge amount of pressure with a six off the first ball. He then followed it up with a boundary before taking a single. Eventually, Saim Hain struck a boundary to take the side home with just a ball to spare.
Earlier in the match, the Welsh Fire got off to a bad start under tricky batting conditions as the duo of Steven Smith and Jonny Bairstow fell early with the scoring rate also hovering below a run per ball. However, a 97-run partnership between Stephen Eskinazi and Tom Abell got the Fire back into the contest. Abell made 48 off 29 while Eskinazi ended up with 53 off 42 balls. A productive final set saw Chris Green strike a couple of boundaries to help the Fire finish on 150/6. Sam Cook was the pick of the bowlers with 2/17 off 15 balls while David Willey, Lockie Ferguson and Marcus Stoinis also took a wicket apiece.
Chasing 151 for victory, Tom Banton and Joe Root batted superbly with the Welsh Fire's bowlers also helping them with some loose bowling. Root, in particular, capitalized after being caught off a no-ball from David Payne on just the fourth delivery of the innings. The Fire reached 46/0 at the end of the Powerplay while the duo of Banton and Root put on 66 runs for the opening wicket. Just as the match was going away quickly, Ben Kellaway provided a much needed breakthrough for the Fire with Banton caught at extra-cover in the eighth set.
Rehan Ahmed also didn't last for long as he holed out to long-on off Saif Zaib's bowling. Then, the pair of Root and Max Holden built a mini partnership to take the Rockets to 112/2 after 70 balls when the Strategic Time-Out was taken. Soon, Chris Green brought the hosts back into the contest by removing Holden and Tom Moores in the space of four deliveries. George Linde came in and struck a six to give some hope but he was deceived by a slower bumper by Riley Meredith with Kellaway taking an excellent catch at deep backward square-leg.
The Rockets continued to make it more difficult for themselves with Marcus Stoinis departing cheaply after being caught at short fine-leg off David Payne's bowling. David Willey also departed off the very next delivery as the home fans started to believe strongly. With 14 required off the last five balls, Chris Green came onto bowl but Root released a huge amount of pressure with a six off the first ball. He then followed it up with a boundary before taking a single. Eventually, Saim Hain struck a boundary to take the side home with just a ball to spare.
Earlier in the match, the Welsh Fire got off to a bad start under tricky batting conditions as the duo of Steven Smith and Jonny Bairstow fell early with the scoring rate also hovering below a run per ball. However, a 97-run partnership between Stephen Eskinazi and Tom Abell got the Fire back into the contest. Abell made 48 off 29 while Eskinazi ended up with 53 off 42 balls. A productive final set saw Chris Green strike a couple of boundaries to help the Fire finish on 150/6. Sam Cook was the pick of the bowlers with 2/17 off 15 balls while David Willey, Lockie Ferguson and Marcus Stoinis also took a wicket apiece.
Joe Root has been named as the 'Hero of the Match'.
Joe Root (Hero of the Match): "(Match getting tense in the end) It did, way too tense for my liking. We controlled the chase but they pulled it back. Shows how difficult it is control the innings in this format. (Thoughts before facing Chris Green for the final set) I have got to hit a six here. Thankfully, I had an idea of what he was trying to do and got it."
So, that is it from myself, Karthik Raj and the scorer, Bishal Mandal as we wrap up the coverage of this fixture. Do switch over to the CPL fixture between the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons or stay tuned for the second Men's Hundred game between Manchester Originals and Birmingham Phoenix which will start in about 15 minutes time. Until next time, it is a warm good-bye from us.