150/9 (20.0)
CR : 7.50
166/6 (20.0)
CR : 8.30
Birmingham Phoenix won by 16 runs
Player of the Match
L Livingstone
0/2250(31)
19.5
1
T Helm to Cook
Slower on from the bowler, the batsman goes for a big whack and ends up top edging it down to Tom Helm. Helm almost catches onto it but the ball somehow manages to slip through his palm. The duo grabs a single.
Over 20
Trent Rockets 150/9
Marchant de Lange7(3)
Samuel James Cook1(1)
Tom Helm1-32(15 b)
And with that, Trent Rockets fail to chase the challenging total and fall short by 15 runs. With this victory, Birmingham Phoenix climb to the top of the table. A well deserved victory for Livingstone and co after Moeen's departure.
The Phoenix started the first 10 brilliantly but Short and Malan departed in just a single set and Hales soon followed him. Samit Patel and built a solid partnership and reignited the run chase. Wickets kept tumbling from one end and the main culprit was the veteran Imran Tahir. Mullaney kept the Phoenix in the run chase with a valiant knock of 49 off 33 balls. Moores joined the party with a six but soon threw his wicket away to Howell. With the tail-enders exposed, the chase got out of control and the Rockets fell short of the target by 16 runs.
Earlier in the day, Finn Allen and Will Smeed started well, stand-in skipper, Liam Livingstone gelled up quite well with the Kiwi youngster and jolted a 71 runs partnership. He went off to score a magnificent fifty, striking star-studded bowlers like Rashid Khan out of the park for sixes and fours. Miles Hammonds' 20-ball unbeaten 38 helped them go past the 160-run mark. The bowling was decent and they used the slower ones to good effect. Phoenix accelerated in the top gear and sprayed sixes and fours all around the park and took the total to 166.
Time for the post-match presentation.
Liam Livingstone is the Hero of the Match.
Liam Livingstone: Amazing victory and a great team effort, everyone did their part quite well and the bowlers were fantastic. Brown bowling ten at the end, I owe them one. Always difficult taking over from Mo, he's so chilled. I enjoyed it, a great group of lads, and we're playing well at the right time. We useTahir to get wickets and we needed to break that stand. Just gut instinct and it paid off. I was a bit disappointed at the timing of my dismissal and had to stay out there for some more time. Hopefully, we can make it to the finals at Lord's.
So that's goodbye from me, Anurag, and my partner Arijit Kundu from the comm box. Do join us tomorrow for The Hundred fixtures in the evening and the third day of the Test between, England and India. Good night and take care!!