Sublime Root leads Rockets into Hundred knockouts

The Hundred men's competition, Sophia Gardens

Welsh Fire 150-6 (100 balls): Eskinazi 53 (42); Cook 2-17

Trent Rockets 152-7 (99 balls): Root 64* (41); Green 2-34

Trent Rockets won by 3 wickets

Scorecard. Table

Joe Root's sublime 64 not retired led Trent Rockets to a tense three-wicket triumph complete Welsh Fire and confirmed their spot successful nan knockouts of The Hundred men's competition.

Chasing 151 astatine Cardiff, Rockets were cruising astatine 116-2 pinch 25 balls to go, but mislaid 5 wickets for 20 runs arsenic Fire's bowlers dragged themselves backmost into contention.

With nan visitors needing 18 from 10 balls, David Payne removed Marcus Stoinis and David Willey to make Fire nan favourites pinch 14 needed from five.

But Root held his nerve, whacking a six and a 4 to regain power and Sam Hain struck nan winning runs pinch a shot to spare.

Rockets' triumph besides confirmed nan apical 3 sides and eliminated nan rest, arsenic they joined Oval Invincibles and Northern Superchargers astatine nan apical of nan table.

Fire were near to rue a no-ball by Payne, arsenic he had Root caught astatine constituent from nan 4th shot of nan innings erstwhile he was yet to people but nan 3rd umpire confirmed that nan seamer had decisively overstepped.

The remainder of Root's 41-ball sound was chanceless, including 4 fours and 3 sixes arsenic he kept his composure among nan chaos pinch Tom Banton's 32 nan adjacent highest contribution.

Earlier, Fire's ain innings started curiously arsenic they trudged on astatine astir a tally a shot for nan first 60 deliveries, pinch Steve Smith and Jonny Bairstow some falling early for eight.

Opener Stephen Eskinazi recovered his knock, kicking connected to 53 from 42 balls including a six disconnected David Willey which cleared nan Sophia Gardens pavilion, arsenic he added 97 for nan 3rd wicket pinch Tom Abell.

But Fire mislaid momentum arsenic nan brace fell successful consecutive balls and they struggled to footwear connected without a group batter astatine nan extremity of nan innings.

The last standings of nan men's array are yet to beryllium decided, however, pinch nan array toppers going consecutive done to nan last connected 31 August.

Second and 3rd look each different successful nan Eliminator astatine The Oval connected 30 August, pinch nan victor progressing to nan final.

The Hundred men's competition, Old Trafford

Manchester Originals 109-7 (100 balls): Klaasen 34 (35); Wood 2-11, Livingstone 2-11

Birmingham Phoenix 113-3 (83 balls): Duckett 49 (38); Tongue 2-34

Birmingham Phoenix won by 7 wickets

Scorecard. Table

Ben Duckett deed an unbeaten 49 arsenic Birmingham Phoenix hit Manchester Originals by 7 wickets successful The Hundred.

Chasing 110, nan visiting opener put connected a business of 72 pinch Joe Clarke for nan 2nd wicket.

Clarke was caught down disconnected Josh Tongue pinch 19 runs required, but Duckett steered his broadside location pinch 17 balls to spare, winning a lucifer betwixt 2 eliminated sides.

Home skipper Phil Salt won nan flip and chose to bat, and that determination initially seemed to beryllium a bully 1 arsenic he drove his broadside to 34-1 astatine nan extremity of nan powerplay.

However, 4 balls aft its conclusion Salt was caught by Duckett disconnected Jacob Bethell's bowling for 31, and nan location broadside struggled thereafter.

Phoenix skipper Liam Livingstone deployed rotation bowlers and medium-pacer Benny Howell complete his overseas quicks, responding to a difficult transportation which had produced a low-scoring women's match earlier successful nan day.

The big-hitting Heinrich Klaasen typified Originals' struggles, top-scoring pinch 34 but going astatine nether a tally a shot and appearing visibly disappointment during his innings.

He fell to Chris Wood, who took 2-11 precocious successful nan innings arsenic Phoenix restricted their opponents to 109-7 contempt putting down 4 catches.

The visitors mislaid Will Smeed for 13, caught down disconnected Sonny Baker, but Clarke and Duckett ensured a mostly soft chase.

Phoenix's 3rd triumph sees them move supra London Spirit and Southern Brave to return 4th position, while Originals gaffe to nan bottommost of nan standings connected nett run-rate.

It is simply a decisive time for London Spirit successful nan women's title arsenic they look to boost their top-three hopes by beating Oval Invincibles astatine The Oval astatine 15:00 BST.

The men's crippled follows astatine 18:30 BST. Invincibles are assured of a spot successful nan knockouts while Spirit are already out.

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