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Alex Hales thumped his first half-century in The Hundred as Trent Rockets eased to a six-wicket win over Birmingham Phoenix at Trent Bridge.

The former England man made 58 from 41 balls and shared a 79-run partnership with Joe Root (34 not out from 26 balls) as the Rockets clinched the victory with three balls to spare.

Liam Livingstone smashed five sixes as he top-scored for the Phoenix with 47 from 28 balls but their total of 143-7 never looked like being enough.

Here’s what also happened:

• Phoenix skipper Moeen Ali looked in good form as he took down the Rockets' spinners, smashing back-to-back sixes off Matthew Carter to end the powerplay before holing out for 35 from 21.
• Livingstone replaced Moeen and went one better than his captain, hitting three sixes in a row – and off Rockets' star spinner Rashid Khan, no less! However, he fell just short of a 50 as a stuttering finish saw the Phoenix score only 17 runs from their last 15 balls.

• Australian left-armer Daniel Sams took three wickets for the Rockets and had the Phoenix batters bamboozled with his slower balls, while the evergreen Samit Patel took two wickets with Hales giving him two big helping hands with a brilliant catch to get Miles Hammond.
• Moeen bowled Dawid Malan with a 'pea-roller' early in the Rockets chase but the home side quickly took control with Hales, Colin Munro and Joe Root able to play relatively risk-free shots to chase down such a low total.

What’s next?

The Rockets will hope to make it two wins from two when they head up to Leeds to face Northern Superchargers at Headingley on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Phoenix host Southern Brave at Edgbaston on Wednesday in a repeat of last year’s final.

Birmingham Phoenix batter Liam Livingstone: "I think we left a few runs out there in the end. They played well in the powerplay and knocked it around in the middle. They have one of the best in the world in Rooty to do that. We thought we had a competitive score but we were beaten by the better team in the end."

Moeen Ali speaking to Isa Guha: "That dropped catch was big in the end, and I was always more worried about Rooty than Halesy because he is very hard to stop with singles and that is what won them the game.

"The dropped catch (by Hammond) was tough....but he did judge it wrong! They are never easy, he did come in a little bit and the wind was blowing at us, but these things happen. If you take your catches, you do win games.

"The wicket was not that easy, the toss was huge today because we were not quite sure about it. I thought we did well to get 140, probably we missed out towards the end and on another day we will get a lot more.

"We are a bit rusty, we have had injuries and had to rejig the team."

More from Alex Hales on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Two: "With a quick outfield and short boundaries, we thought it was chaseable for sure.

"Once you get in, you want to be the guy there to win the game at the end, I wasn't quite but I thought the job was done."

Henry Moeran
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Two commentator

Image source, Getty Images

It always felt a little bit out of Birmingham Phoenix's reach. A total of 143 never felt like being enough to challenge Trent Rockets.

Alex Hales speaking to Isa Guha: "Great start to the tournament, a great partnership with Munners and a nice win.

"I've been here for 14 years, I'm a veteran of Trent Bridge, it is somewhere I always enjoy batting and I hope to continue to do so.

"The pitch was a tad slow, Munro played perfectly, it was more about getting him on strike but I found my stride eventually."

That 17 runs off the last 15 balls or the Phoenix proved crucial - a bit more would have been tricky for the Rockets.

Alex Hartley
Former England bowler on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Two

Easy for Trent Rockets in the end. Yes, it went down to the last few balls but they timed that chase perfectly and it was only the late wicket of Alex Hales that took the shine off it.

Robin Johnson: Alex Hales in for JRoy?

Hmmmm...

Phil Tufnell
Former England spinner on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Two

Nice way to finish the game, smashed back past Tom Helm by the skipper.

Lewis Gregory smacks Helm straight for four and the hosts have the win after a nervy last few minutes.

Alex Hartley
Former England bowler on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Two

If it was me, I'd just bring the field up. Create a bit of pressure.

Root pushes and gets one more to level the scores.

Gregory and Root run a quick single as Tom Helm stays on for the last five balls.

Alex Hartley
Former England bowler on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Two

A little edge and Tom Helm has got two wickets in this set of five.

A wide reduces the runs needed by one.

Henry Moeran
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Two commentator

Another wicket and maybe, just maybe, there is a sting in the tail?

Phil Tufnell
Former England spinner on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Two

Hales is gone but the game is up.