Alex Hales said the “adrenaline was pumping” in front of a “bouncing crowd” after an unbeaten 40 saw Trent Rockets home by two wickets with six balls to spare in a dramatic affair against Northern Superchargers. 

The opener was unusually measured in his approach, but a blistering 31-run ninth wicket partnership with Matt Carter led the hosts towards the finish line before Hales clubbed a free hit full toss from David Willey into the William Clarke stand to send the home support into raptures. 

“It was a scrappy, ugly win,” Hales said.

“That’s a sign of a good team, though, and it was a good team win. We had our backs to the wall but came out on top. 

“Some important partnerships rescued the momentum. I always felt that if I was there at the end, we had a chance. You can always catch up at the end so I tried to hang in there.”

Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan took three for 31 and South African paceman Marchant de Lange followed up his five for 20 against Southern Brave on Saturday with three for 22 as the Superchargers were bowled out for 132 in 99 balls, John Simpson top-scoring with 42 and off-spinner Carter taking two for 17 on debut.

The Rockets lost eight wickets for 103 in a tricky response, and still needed 16 from the last 10 balls, but Carter smashed a David Willey full toss for six and with the target eight from seven, Carter’s single off a Willey no ball for height brought it down to five from seven.

Hales, who had been dropped on 16 when Ben Stokes let one through his hands on the boundary, took full advantage of the free hit to the delight of 11,483-strong crowd.

The Rockets had Paul Franks in charge after Head Coach Andy Flower and two support staff members tested positive for Covid-19, which required a change on the field as well with Notts captain Steven Mullaney also withdrawn after being identified as a close contact.

After electing to bat, Superchargers stumbled at the start, losing Chris Lynn and skipper Ben Stokes inside the first 17 balls as Carter - Mullaney’s replacement - celebrated his Hundred debut with two wickets.

Lynn sliced the off-spinner’s first ball to cover before Stokes miscued his attempt to clear extra cover and departed for five, safely pouched by Alex Hales.  When Khan bowled Lyth behind his legs sweeping, the Superchargers were 38 for three from 34.

Harry Brook and Simpson did some rebuilding, adding 61 from 40 balls before Brook’s attempt to clear cover off Lewis Gregory went wrong.

Then four wickets in six balls wrecked any chance of a strong finish. Khan beat Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s attempted slog-sweep and Afghan compatriot Mujeeb Ur Rahman holed out to long-on, before two perished in two balls from the pace of De Lange, Willey finding fine leg with a ramp, Brydon Carse slicing to cover.

De Lange picked up a third when Simpson gave Hales his third catch and the innings ended on 99 balls when Adil Rashid was run out, leaving the Rockets to chase 133.

The home side lost three wickets on 20, D’Arcy Short leg before sweeping Mujeeb before leg-spinner Rashid took two in two, trapping Dawid Malan lbw and inducing a return catch off a leading edge to dismiss Joe Root first ball.

That became 58 for six as Samit Patel lofted Callum Parkinson for a towering six but nicked a drive to be caught behind off the same bowler and Tom Moores feathered one from Stokes.

Momentum shifted with the introduction of Lewis Gregory who, after pulling a six off Mujeeb that saw him almost caught, was bowled by Parkinson. Khan then smote 25 from 11 balls but then top-edged Stokes to be caught behind and Hales, unable to get going, had some luck when Stokes dropped one over the rope for six off Rashid. 

The combination of the cameo partnerships and dropped catch was, according to Hales, the turning point.

“I found a lot of fielders early in my innings, then when I started to find gaps we lost wickets,” he admitted. 

“It was ugly to start with, but I knew, if I took it deep, we would get chances to win against their death bowling.

“Rashid and Lewis played important roles to rescue momentum, and they were important cameos.

“I have never seen Stokesy drop a catch, even in training, so I had a slice of luck. I think that was a huge moment of the game, the crowd perked up, they were bouncing, and my adrenaline was really pumping."

After Wood was lbw to Mujeeb, Carter strode to the crease and helped haul the Rockets towards victory, pulling Stokes for four and, after Hales slog-swept Stokes for a maximum to set up the dramatic finale, the off-spinner swung Willey for six over mid-wicket to set up the dramatic finale.

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