Ben Cox admitted it was special to see Trent Rockets over the line, as the men’s side completed a perfect group-stage campaign at home with victory over Birmingham Phoenix.

Cox, who was part of the Rockets squad in 2021 without making any appearances, joined up with Andy Flower’s class of 2025 as a replacement for the injured Adam Hose.

And the waiting made the moment all the sweeter.

“I’ve waited a while!” he said.

“It’s been four years, so I obviously wanted to put in a decent performance with the gloves and the bat, and it was a very nice moment to be there at the end.

“That’s what I pride myself on, that’s my job and I did that.”

The Rockets required 10 runs from the final 10 balls to secure victory, but match-sealing boundaries were proving elusive until Cox swept the penultimate ball for four.

The winning moment brought cheers of relief from the Trent Bridge faithful, but Cox was confident that his side would get the job done.

“It was always near enough a run-a-ball, and I said to Hainy [Sam Hain] we just needed a couple of boundaries and the game was done,” he said.

“We couldn’t find them, so it was going single, single, single and getting tighter and tighter, but we just needed that one ball to find the boundary.

“The atmosphere was great at the end, and for the whole game!

“It was a great turn-out – look at all the kids waiting here for autographs and photos. Trent Bridge do it well.”

Second place secured, the Rockets head to the Kia Oval for Saturday’s Eliminator against Northern Superchargers. The victors will go on to face Oval Invincibles in Sunday’s Final at Lord’s.

“It’s a very exciting weekend,” said Cox.

But it’s the old cliché, we take one game at a time.

“Superchargers have shown they’re a dangerous team, but we go down there with confidence and momentum, which in any short-format game is crucial.

“It’d be a lovely touch to get through to the final and win it. I’d love it, and I’m sure the boys would love to get their hands on a second trophy.”