Birmingham Phoenix have found form at the right time as for two matches in a row their new opening pair of Ben Duckett and skipper Moeen Ali has put the opposition under the pump in the men's Hundred competition. Not only the Phoenix have won those two games but the wins have come against Northern Superchargers and Welsh Fire, two teams competing for a spot in the eliminator. Hence, Phoenix are not only winning but also denting their competition and will have to do it all over again, against the Trent Rockets on Monday, August 12.
The Trent Rockets after a good start have lost a bit of steam. The Rockets have lost three of their last four matches and to stay in the hunt for the top three spot, they will have to beat the Birmingham outfit at Edgbaston on Monday. The Rockets' middle order needs to pull up its socks. Apart from Tom Banton and Alex Hales in one of the matches, none of the other batters has been able to play a big knock to put the opposition under pressure.
For a few games now, the opposition knows that if they have the openers down early, they can wrap up the Rockets cheaply enough and that is what the 2022 champions need to change, especially against the pace trio of Tim Southee, Adam Milne and Sean Abbott which will test them if conditions help seam.
My Dream11 team for The Hundred 2024 Match 28, BPH vs TRT
Ben Duckett, Moeen Ali (c), Tom Banton, Jamie Smith, Rovman Powell, Rashid Khan (vc), Jacob Bethell, Sean Abbott, Adam Milne, John Turner, Sam Cook
Probable Playing XIs
Birmingham Phoenix: Ben Duckett, Moeen Ali(c), Jamie Smith(w), Liam Livingstone, Dan Mousley, Jacob Bethell, Benny Howell, Sean Abbott, Adam Milne, Tim Southee, Chris Wood
Trent Rockets: Tom Banton(w), Adam Lyth, Alex Hales, Joe Root, Rovman Powell, Imad Wasim, Lewis Gregory(c), Rashid Khan, John Turner, Luke Wood, Sam Cook
