Sams blasts Rockets into Hundred finals

NASA's moon mission may have been left on the launch pad in Florida but it was lift off in Nottingham as Australia's Daniel Sams blasted Trent Rockets towards the Hundred's final frontier.

The New South Walian smashed 31 off 14 balls as the Rockets mustered a daunting 4-172 off their 100 balls in the English short-format franchise competition.

Welsh Fire were never in the hunt being restricted to 6-143 and beaten by 29 runs despite a late rally.

Rockets are now guaranteed a place in Friday's eliminator between second and third and will book a place directly into Saturday's final if London Spirit either lose to Birmingham Phoenix on Tuesday or fail to match Rockets' net-run-rate.

Fire, however, exit the competition as the first team of any gender in the Hundred's two seasons not to win a point having never recovered from skipper Jonny Bairstow pulling out on the eve of the competition. 

Rockets were given the ideal launch by openers Dawid Malan and Alex Hales who put on 89 in 58 balls. Malan made 58 in 37 balls while Hales, who was retained by Sydney Thunder in Sunday's BBL draft, 38 in 29.

Further ignition came when Sams was joined by New Zealander Colin Munro, who made an unbeaten 22 off 11. Sams hit three sixes and Munro, newly picked up by Brisbane Heat in the draft, one as they put on 38 in 19 balls.

When Fire batted two new Melbourne Stars recruits faced each other, Luke Wood opening the bowling to Joe Clarke.

Wood won that battle with his first 10 balls going for just seven runs. Clarke subsequently fell for 15 as Fire stumbled to 5-81 two-thirds through their innings.

A late trash from Matt Critchley (55no from 35) dented the figures of Wood, who finished with 26 from 18 and was ordered out of the attack after bowling two high balls. Sams' bowling went for 35 from 17 balls, but any chance of a Welsh victory was already long over the horizon.

Australians at The Hundred 2022

Women

Birmingham Phoenix: Sophie Molineux, Ellyse Perry

London Spirit: Beth Mooney, Megan Schutt

Northern Superchargers: Heather Graham, Alyssa Healy

Southern Brave: Tahlia McGrath, Molly Strano, Amanda-Jade Wellington

Trent Rockets: Alana King, Elyse Villani

Welsh Fire: Nicola Carey, Rachael Haynes, Annabel Sutherland

Men

Birmingham Phoenix: Kane Richardson, Matthew Wade, Tanveer Sangha

London Spirit: Nathan Ellis, Josh Inglis, Ben McDermott

Manchester Originals: Ashton Turner

Oval Invincibles: Hilton Cartwright

Southern Brave: Tim David

Trent Rockets: Daniel Sams