WELSH Fire men will aim to respond to a defeat in a low-scoring contest at London Spirit when they take on Trent Rockets in Nottingham on Saturday evening (6pm start).

Mike Hussey’s side travel to Trent Bridge after a disappointing display at Lord’s as the Sprit claimed their first win of this year’s Hundred.

Liam Dawson and Nathan Ellis claimed three wickets apiece as Fire could manage just 94 for nine, with Dan Worrall setting the tone after his first 10 balls of the game were all dots.

Matt Henry claimed three quick wickets to give Fire hope, but Dan Lawrence kept a cool head in a nervy chase with a measured 29 which enabled Shimron Hetmyer (30 not out off 21) to steer the hosts home with 13 balls remaining.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore was unable to score off Worrall’s opening 10 balls and departed soon after when Andre Russell held a good catch running backwards off Olly Stone.

Worrall got his reward to remove Luke Wells, who hit the only two sixes of the innings, and Dawson bowled Joe Clarke as Jonny Bairstow could only watch on as he faced just two of the first 35 balls.

The England man got away a couple of boundaries when he finally got the strike but was bowled swiping against the line to give Ellis his first wicket.

From there Ellis and Dawson put on the squeeze, conceding just 26 from their 40 balls combined, as Fire limped to a score that was never likely to be enough.

The Welsh side needed early wickets and Henry provided them, prising out Michael Pepper, Ollie Pope and Adam Rossington to leave Spirit 25 for three off 28 balls.

Haris Rauf, who would later be on a hat-trick, had Ravi Bopara caught behind before Lawrence and Hetmyer settled home nerves in a 46-run stand.

After doing the heavy lifting Lawrence skied a catch off Rauf, who bowled Russell next ball, and Hetmyer rode his luck after being dropped while Bairstow missed a tough stumping.

The West Indian remained and crunched a six to finish the game and get Spirit off the mark.

Dawson said: “It was a very big game for us after losing the first two. To get over the line will give us a huge amount of confidence.

“I have started nicely – it was a nice pitch to bowl on to put the ball in the right area and let the pitch do the work. It got a little bit tight in the end.”

The Fire women are the first game in a Trent Bridge double-header (2.30pm start) and they travel to the East Midlands in high spirits.

They completed their highest-ever chase to inflict a first defeat of this year’s competition on London Spirit at Lord’s thanks to a six-wicket win.

West Indies star Hayley Matthews did the damage with an unbeaten 78 from 46 balls – her highest score in the competition – as the visitors chased down Spirit’s 150 for five with five balls to spare.

“Chasing that score we felt that we needed one of our top batters to bat deep. I gave myself a chance early on and I saw them pretty well,” said Matthews.

“It’s been four years with this team and it feels like a second home for me. Playing for Wales is a big thing representing an entire nation and I’m pretty proud.”