Twitter Reactions: Liam Livingstone, bowlers secure top spot for Birmingham Phoenix

Birmingham Phoenix have managed to secure the top spot in the points table after beating the Trent Rockets by 16 runs on Friday, August 13. In Moeen Ali’s absence, Liam Livingstone led the team efficiently at the Trent Bridge in Nottingham. The Rockets remained in the third spot.

Livingstone shines

After being inserted to bat, the Phoenix managed 166 runs on the board. Finn Allen and Will Smeed gave them a flying start. However, it was Livingstone and Miles Hammond’s 71-run stand that laid the platform for the Phoenix. Livingstone went on to score 50 off 31 with four fours and three sixes.

Chris Benjamin and Benny Howell got a couple to the boundary before Samuel Cook accounted for their wickets. Hammond, in the meantime, showed his class. He stayed unbeaten until the very end, scoring 38 off 20 with five fours and one six. For the Rockets, Rashid Khan went wicketless.

Bowlers step up

The Rockets didn’t have a great start to their run-chase as D’Arcy Short, Alex Hales and Dawid Malan perished in quick succession. Imran Tahir cleaned up Samit Patel and reduced the Rockets to 57 for four. However, Steven Mullaney and Lewis Gregory’s 42-run stand kept them in the match.

Once Tahir pinned Gregory for 25, the Phoenix became the favourites. Mullaney scored 49 off 33 with two fours and three sixes, but his knock went in vain. Brown was the pick of the Phoenix’s bowlers with three wickets. Tahir and Dillion Pennington picked up two scalps each.

I was a bit disappointed at the timing of my dismissal: Liam Livingstone

After the victory, Livingstone lauded the bowlers for their stupendous show. He also called Tahir a wicket-taking prospect. But he was wasn’t happy with his own dismissal.

“Brilliant win, great team effort, the bowlers were fantastic, especially Brown, who came in and bowled 10 at the death. Difficult to take over from Mo (Moeen), he’s so chilled out and I do get tense at times. We are playing some good cricket and are peaking at the right time,” Livingstone was quoted as saying.

“We use him to get wickets (on Tahir), the partnership was developing and we needed him, the move paid off. We have secured a slot in the playoffs, that’s very important. I’m one of the seniors in the team, so the responsibility does come with it. I was a bit disappointed at the timing of my dismissal, and had to stay out there for some more time,” he added.

Here’s how the netizens reacted to Birmingham Phoenix’s win at Trent Bridge