Ferguson and Banton give Rockets winning start as Rockets cruise home with 22 balls to spare against Phoenix.
Ferguson and Banton launch Rockets season as Phoenix falter.
At Edgbaston, Trent Rockets defeated Birmingham Phoenix with ease to start their Hundred Men’s competition campaign.
The Phoenix’s 122 for 6 never seemed like enough, as Lockie Ferguson’s excellent bowling (3 for 20) and Tom Banton’s (42 from 29) chase helped David Willey’s revamped Rockets team win by a comfortable six wickets.
Phoenix’s top three, Ben Duckett, Will Smeed, and Aneurin Donald, were dismissed by the Rockets attack after they were asked to bowl first, leaving the home team 24 for 3 following the 25-ball Powerplay.
Phoenix was left reeling after Sam Cook’s outstanding effort off his own bowling to run out Jacob Bethell, but a valiant partnership between Liam Livingstone (39) and Joe Clarke (29) led to a comeback. While Clarke struggled for fluency, Livingstone played a captain’s knock, striking three sixes in his 30-ball stay; Ferguson’s outstanding set eliminated both of them.
Phoenix got closer to a decent score thanks to a few of late smashes from Dan Mousley and Benny Howell, despite some tight death bowling from the Rockets.
Although Tim Southee (2 for 36) bowled Joe Root early in the reply, the Rockets got off to a fast start against the three Kiwi quicks. The necessary runs were swiftly reduced to less than a run-per-ball thanks to some lustful strokes from Banton and Rehan Ahmed (25 from 16).
Max Holden (22 from 13) brought the Rockets home comfortably with 22 balls remaining, but Benny Howell (2 for 25), the best of the Phoenix bowlers, dismissed both Ahmed and Banton.