After Saturday’s third thumping victory of the season against Manchester Originals at Old Trafford, Trent Rockets men fell to a first defeat of their Hundred campaign against Birmingham Phoenix at Edgbaston.
The Rockets who beat Birmingham in their opening match at Trent Bridge, got off to a terrible start in losing Alex Hales and Dawid Malan with just eleven runs on the scorecard.
Hales with 58 against Phoenix first time around and 43 in the wins over the Northern Superchargers and 38 v Manchester, went for one run lasting just three balls of the game whilst Malan, who top scored with 98 last time out against the Originals and with 88 against the Superchargers prior to that, fell for just nine runs off four balls to leave the Rockets two down in the opening eight bowled.
Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Colin Munro could only muster eleven each before falling to the wickets of Howell and Helm, Cockbain (6) and Patel (13) lasted little better with Trent six down for 53 from just 54 balls.
Skipper Lewis Gregory and Daniel Sams however improved matters for the away side with the latter reaching his half century before the close, Gregory a solid 35 not out from 22 balls and Sams 55 not out from 25 balls, steering Trent Rockets to 145 for 6 by the end of their one hundred balls.
In response, an early wicket from Luke Wood gave Birmingham a scare before the same man had Hammond trapped LBW with the score 25-2 at just 21 balls.
Moeen Ali and Liam Livingstone however wrestled the tie away from the Rockets, Ali getting to 52 before Wood bowled the England star by then, Phoenix needed just 40 from a remaining 34 balls.
Livingstone (51) eventually getting his half century with Matthew Wade (14) not out by the time target was reached with 14 balls to spare.
In the womens match, after opening their campaign with victory against Manchester on Saturday, Alana King taking 4 for 20 from 15 balls after Abi Freeborn had scored 45 in a comprehensive 43 run win, things didn’t go quite as well in Monday’s match against the Phoenix.
Rockets batting first reaching 116-9 with decent returns from Elyse Villani (33) and Natalie Sciver (31).
Birmingham however convincing in response, they reached target with the loss of just two wickets and with nine balls to spare.
Next up the Rockets men and women are back at Trent Bridge on Wednesday evening as they take on the Oval Invincibles in a double header which has already sold out.
*Main image @TrentBridge Lewis Gregory couldn’t help save the Rockets from defeat.
