Colin Munro showered the Trent Rockets bowling unit with praise after London Spirit were comprehensively beaten at Trent Bridge in a clash between the group stage’s frontrunners. 

The top order batter made an unbeaten 67 after the away side were bowled out for 122 batting first, with eight deliveries of their allocation still remaining.

Rashid Khan claimed three scalps - including that of the dangerous Kieron Pollard - with Sam Cook, Samit Patel and Luke Wood all taking two wickets each. 

“Our bowling attack has been unbelievable,” Munro said, “We can make two or three changes and still be good. A lot of other teams don’t have that luxury.

“Rash is world class, the wicket of Pollard was really important. He was backed up really well by Samit and Luke Wood. 

“I faced Luke when I was at Worcester and I thought ‘wow, this guy has something about him’ and he has gone to another level. Samit is a seasoned professional, and he knows what is required.

“Cooky has also got some serious skills. He doesn’t have the massive pace, but the skills that he shows, the yorker, the back of the hand slower ball, the angles he uses at the crease, he has got all the assets to be a good bowler on any surface.

“It is a luxury for him to come in, and we’ve got the experience of Fletcher sitting on the sidelines, and Matt Carter as well. We have so much firepower.”

Munro shared an 85-run partnership with Tom Kohler-Cadmore as the Rockets chased their target in 79 balls, jumping to the top of the group table with a healthy net run-rate in the process. 

Despite losing the toss, Spirit got off to a flying start as Daniel Bell-Drummond (24 from 15 balls) caught the eye with consecutive sixes in the first set of 10. The Spirit did lose the in-form Adam Rossington, but at 41 for one from the powerplay, were well set.

The next 25 balls would only produce 20 runs for the loss of two wickets, however, as the Rockets’ bowling attack fought back. 

Bell-Drummond was the first to go, miscuing off the bowling of Cook. Dan Lawrence would join him soon after, clean bowled by a Khan googly, to leave the Spirit in a difficult position.

The away side needed to rebuild and quickly if they were to post a defendable total. 

Morgan answered the call, striking two sixes in Khan’s next set. But when he attempted the same trick on the 64th ball against the ever-impressive Patel, he was caught at deep midwicket, leaving the Spirit 86 for four. 

Sensing the moment to turn the screw, skipper Lewis Gregory threw Khan the ball and he delivered. The Afghan bowled Kieron Pollard and Jordan Thompson in a set of five which conceded just two. Three balls later, Patel removed the set McDermott and the wickets kept falling. The Londoners lost their last five wickets for just 27 runs. 

Chasing a modest total, the Rockets got off to a calamitous start as Dawid Malan was run out without facing. 

Hales returned, too, sooner than the Rockets would have liked, caught at mid-on off the bowling of Ellis as they ended the powerplay 33 for two. 

Hales’s wicket brought Kohler-Cadmore to the crease. The right hander proved his value as his 51-ball partnership with the Kiwi all but secured victory. 

It was left, however, to captain Gregory to fire a six from his first and only delivery to seal the win for the Rockets.

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With the Trent Rockets party well and truly in full flow, you can join for the final group stage game of the season at Trent Bridge against Welsh Fire on Monday 29 August. 

Secure your seats here...