Joe Root is keen to make a match-winning impact for Trent Rockets after marking his return to The Hundred with 33 from 19 balls, but seeing his side beaten by Birmingham Phoenix.
Root, who ascended to the top of the ICC Men’s Test batting rankings after England’s victory over West Indies at Edgbaston, produced a flurry of eye-catching boundaries in his 19-ball stay at the crease.
And he felt his clarity of purpose was key.
“I came in fresh tonight – I didn’t have any preparation or a net, but sometimes you need a fresh mind, a clear head and to back yourself,” he said.
“I’ve been playing for a good while now, so you just back yourself to react well under pressure.
“I felt like I played nicely, and it was nice to contribute with the ball as well – but 30s don’t win you games.
“You have to see it home, and having got off to a good start it’s about making it count.”
A stellar spell from Phoenix’s Dan Mousley ultimately proved decisive, with the spinner returning to the attack with Rockets needing ten from the final ten deliveries.
The 23-year-old conceded just three runs from those final two sets, taking three wickets, to see his side to victory.
“When me and Hales (Alex Hales, who hit 38 from 30) had that time-out, we were saying it would be nice to get level with them as quickly as possible, just in case it held in the pitch a bit towards the back end of the game,” Root said.
“But that wasn’t the issue, it was a bit of brilliance from Mousley, to be able to get his yorkers in and execute on the spin showed that he can hold his nerve, and fair play to him for that.
“I feel like it’s a game that’s probably just slipped away from us, one that we should have seen home.”
Trent Rockets now embark on two consecutive home games – the first being a sold-out encounter against Welsh Fire this Saturday.
Root feels the pace of the competition will only be beneficial as the hosts looks to regain the momentum they gleaned from back-to-back wins on the road.
“From a team perspective, you just get straight back out there and you get back on the horse,” he said.
“It is a really strong squad of experienced players who have been through games like this before, and we’ll be right back to doing what we do best, which is competing and winning games and putting on a good show for the crowd at Trent Bridge.
“I feel like for 90% of this game we were in control and we had the game where we wanted. It is important that we draw on that, not on the last 10 or 15 balls of the game.”
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Tickets for Trent Rockets' final two fixtures of the summer at Trent Bridge are on sale now.