Joe Root’s sublime 64 not out led Trent Rockets to a tense three-wicket win over Welsh Fire and confirmed their place in the knockouts of The Hundred men’s competition.
Chasing 151 at Cardiff, Rockets were cruising at 116-2 with 25 balls to go, but lost five wickets for 20 runs as Fire’s bowlers dragged themselves back into contention.
With the visitors needing 18 from 10 balls, David Payne removed Marcus Stoinis and David Willey to make Fire the favourites with 14 needed from five.
But Root held his nerve, whacking a six and a four to regain control and Sam Hain struck the winning runs with a ball to spare.
Rockets’ victory also confirmed the top three sides and eliminated the rest, as they joined Oval Invincibles and Northern Superchargers at the top of the table.
Fire were left to rue a no-ball by Payne, as he had Root caught at point from the fourth ball of the innings when he was yet to score but the third umpire confirmed that the seamer had decisively overstepped.
The rest of Root’s 41-ball knock was chanceless, including four fours and three sixes as he kept his composure among the chaos with Tom Banton’s 32 the next highest contribution.
Earlier, Fire’s own innings started curiously as they trudged along at around a run a ball for the first 60 deliveries, with Steve Smith and Jonny Bairstow both falling early for eight.
Opener Stephen Eskinazi recovered his knock, kicking on to 53 from 42 balls including a six off David Willey which cleared the Sophia Gardens pavilion, as he added 97 for the third wicket with Tom Abell.
But Fire lost momentum as the pair fell in consecutive balls and they struggled to kick on without a set batter at the end of the innings.
The final standings of the men’s table are yet to be decided, however, with the table toppers going straight through to the final on 31 August.
Second and third face each other in the Eliminator at The Oval on 30 August, with the winner progressing to the final.
