- Birmingham Phoenix have lost five of their last eight matches
- Tom Banton has scored 111 runs across his opening two matches
- Recommended bets:
- Trent Rockets to win    
- Tom Banton - top Trent Rockets runscorer

Trent Rockets have made a strong start to this year's Hundred tournament and they will be looking to make it three wins on the spin at home to Birmingham Phoenix on Wednesday.

The Rockets, champions in 2022, got their campaign underway with an emphatic 47-run victory over the Northern Superchargers.

Lewis Gregory's side looked to be heading to defeat in their second showdown with Manchester Originals but Jordan Thompson was the hero as he claimed two wickets in the final two balls to help them win by one run.

Birmingham Phoenix, meanwhile, have won one and lost one of their opening two assignments, responding to an eight-wicket defeat to Oval Invincibles by recording a three-wicket victory over London Spirit.

Team news

With England's Test series against the West Indies having finished early, Joe Root will be available to feature for Trent Rockets.

Root's return could see Adam Lyth or Alex Hales, both of whom are struggling for runs at the top of the order, replaced.

That means Birmingham could also be boosted by the return of England duo Ben Duckett and Jamie Smith, both of whom would add extra power to their batting line-up.

Rashid Khan played his first game for Trent Rockets in the recent victory over Manchester Originals and he is expected to keep his place at the expense of Chris Green.

The stats 

Trent Rockets have won their opening two matches in this season's competition and they have triumphed in two of their last three meetings with Birmingham Phoenix.

The Rockets' Tom Banton is the leading scorer in the competition so far, having amassed 111 runs across his two innings. He has faced only 60 balls in that period.

Phoenix have lost five of their last eight matches in The Hundred and Jacob Bethell is their leading runscorer, having racked up 65 runs from his two innings.

Sean Abbott and Tim Southee are the leading wicket takers for Birmingham, having both taken four wickets.

For Trent Rockets, spinner Imad Wasim is at the top of the wicket-taking tally with three.

Prediction

With a strong batting line-up, spearheaded by the red-hot Banton, and the right blend of pace and spin to their bowling attack, Trent Rockets are a difficult team to oppose.

They were emphatic 47-run winners in their opening assignment with Northern Superchargers and then they knuckled down to win a match they had no right to do so against Manchester Originals last time out.

The Originals needed only two runs from three balls yet Thompson kept his nerve at the death while the arrival of Afghanistan's Khan, considered one of the best white-ball cricketers in the world, has strengthened them sufficiently.

So the Rockets are taken to get the better of Birmingham, who they defeated by 46 runs when they met in August last year.

It may also be worth backing Banton to top score for the home side, with the powerful right-hander clearly in excellent nick.

The 25-year-old scored 66 off 38 balls against Superchargers and added 45 off 22 balls against the Originals, top scoring for his team on both occasions.

Back Trent Rockets to win at 7/10 with LiveScore Bet

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