Delray Rawlins and his Southern Brave team-mates crashed to a nine-wicket defeat against hosts Trent Rockets in their opening match of the inaugural The Hundred at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, on Saturday.

The visitors scored 126 for eight in their 100-ball innings after winning the toss and electing to bat.

The Rockets then replied with 127 for one to complete an emphatic victory in front of their own fans with minimum resistance.

Bermudian all-rounder Rawlins stroked seven runs from as many balls before being grabbed at short cover to earn South African fast bowler Marchant de Lange the first of his five wickets in the match.

Middle-order batsman Ross Whitely led the Brave scoring with an unbeaten 39 from 29 balls, which contained three fours and two sixes.

Alex Davies, the wicketkeeper-batsman, was next high man with 21 from 12 balls, including five boundaries.

Opener Devon Conway (18) and tailender Chris Jordan (16) were the remaining Brave batsmen in double figures.

Man of the match de Lange finished with figures of five for 20 while Luke Wood, Lewis Gregory and Joe Root, the England Test captain, claimed one wicket each.

The hosts suffered an early setback in their reply after opener Alex Hales was dismissed without scoring with just three runs on the board.

However, an unbroken 124-run second-wicket partnership between opener D’Arcy Short and Dawid Malan powered the Rockets to their target with 18 balls to spare.

Malan led the charge, thumping seven fours and two sixes in a knock of 62 from 43 balls.

Short also held his end of the deal, as he carved 51 from 41 balls that included five fours and a six off Liam Dawson over long-on to bring up his half-century in style.

George Garton claimed the only Rockets wicket to fall.

Rawlins, who is reported to be earning in the region of £50,000 (about $65,000) for his participation in the Brave’s 15-man squad, is one of five Sussex players playing for the Brave, along with Jofra Archer, Tymal Mills, Jordan and Garton.

The Brave are coached by Sri Lanka legend Mahela Jayawardena and will play their home matches at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton.