In a nail-biting contest at the Trent Bridge, Nottingham, the Birmingham Phoenix team won a narrow 6-run victory against Trent Rockets in their 9th match in The Hundred Men’s Competition on July 31, 2024. The game saw wonderful heights of performance and dramatic turns that kept the spectators on their toes until the very last ball.
Birmingham Phoenix batted first and posted 139 runs for the loss of 4 wickets in their 100-ball innings. Jacob Bethell remained not out with 46 runs scored off only 29 balls, hitting three boundaries and two sixes as Liam Livingstone contributed with 30 runs from 20 in a quick-fire knock. Meanwhile, Rashid Khan bowled brilliantly and took two wickets for only 23 runs off his four overs for the Rockets. Joe Root and Imad Wasim also got a wicket apiece, to hold the Phoenix to 138/6.
In reply, things didn’t work too well right at the beginning for the Trent Rockets. Upon losing Tom Banton at just 7 runs, that was an early jolt. Alex Hales and Joe Root did the rescue work via a 61-run stand for the second wicket. Hales made 38 off 30 balls, while Root made a quickfire 33 in 19 balls. Rockets did not click, though, thanks to the disciplined bowling of the Phoenix, which never allowed them to get a run rate of their desire.
But, Birmingham Phoenix found their hero in Dan Mousley, who gave an all-round performance. Three crucial wickets for just nine runs in his 15, among which are Rashid Khan and Lewis Gregory, eventually fell at his hands. Moreover, two wickets by Adam Milne to keep the Rockets in discomfort.
It was a chase that almost looked possible, but the Rockets just came up a whisker short of pulling this one off as they ended their 100-ball innings with 132/8. Rovman Powell tried his best to kill the chase with a spirited 21 from just 13 balls, but it was never enough to get them over the line.
And Dan Mousley rounded off a deserved man of the match award for his all-around contributions with bat and ball. However, that win does keep Birmingham Phoenix well and truly in the tournament, but means more heartache for Trent Rockets moving on in the games now.
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