Trent Rockets extended their lead at the top of The Hundred table with a near-perfect performance that secured their fifth win in six games, leaving Birmingham Phoenix rooted to the bottom.
Sam Billings’ unbeaten 31 sealed a scrappy chase after Phoenix stuttered to 111-6 despite Joe Clarke’s 50, while Jos Buttler made history for the Manchester Super Giants as he became the leading Twenty20 run-scorer of all time.
After the Rockets elected to field, Will Smeed broke an unwanted record by being the first batter in The Hundred history to be unbeaten without scoring at the end of the powerplay. 25 runs came from that powerplay for the loss of Mitch Owen to Mohammad Amir, who had to leave the field with a strained hamstring immediately after taking the wicket.
Smeed eventually fell for six off 16 balls, with the visitors appearing tentative against a disciplined attack led by outstanding performances from spinners Calvin Harrison and Mitch Santner, along with Lewis Gregory.
Only Joe Clarke, Phoenix’s leading run-scorer this season, managed to break free, reaching a half-century from 37 balls before finishing with 62 off 47. He became the fourth victim of Craig Overton’s safe hands, with the catches setting a competition record. Of the remaining batters, only Laurie Evans reached double figures as Phoenix limped to an underwhelming 111-6 from their 100 balls.
After Amir’s departure, skipper Billings had juggled his bowlers expertly as he searches for a fourth successive title in The Hundred. And when the Rockets batted, there was little pressure on the openers, Ben Duckett and Finn Allen progressing smoothly to 29-0 in the powerplay.
Mystery spinner Usman Tariq removed Duckett for 22 and delivered his customary bow celebration, conceding just six runs from his first 10 balls. However, there were simply not enough runs on the board, with 113 becoming the lowest total ever successfully defended in The Hundred men’s competition.
Nye Donald came and went after a typically pugnacious six-ball 17, before Allen and Billings calmly rotated the strike at around a run a ball. Two successive sixes from Billings off Saqib Mahmood, including an outrageous slog sweep, accelerated the finish, and the result was all but confirmed when Allen holed out to Tariq at short mid-on for 28 with only six runs required.
The Rockets completed the victory with another Billings six, winning with 17 balls to spare to be sitting pretty with two games to come, their route direct to the final having got that bit easier.
Craig Overton makes FOUR great catches for Trent Rockets
Gregory said: “We were superb with the ball. We kept chipping away with important wickets. It was a little bit two-paced, with a bit of variable bounce at times. The bowling unit spoke about smashing the top of the stump as hard as we could.
“The guys up front with the bat have been outstanding. We’re in a really good position, playing some fantastic cricket, and hopefully we can continue that.”
Buttler become the leading Twenty20 run-scorer of all time
Jos Buttler hits a mega half century to win it for Manchester Super Giants vs Welsh Fire
After three straight defeats, Manchester Super Giants got the win they needed over Welsh Fire at an overcast Emirates Old Trafford to remain in contention for qualification.
Half-centuries from Tim Seifert and Jos Buttler propelling them to a crunching win with 31 balls to spare.
Seifert said: “We just tried to get off to a good start and maintain the run rate and it was good that we both got going. And it was quite nice to watch Buttler from the other end! We’ve got two big games ahead and this is a good little boost for us.”
The Super Giants move up to 12 points, now just four behind the Fire with two games left each.
They had to do it without their captain Aiden Markram, who has returned to South Africa for personal reasons, Jos Buttler taking over captaincy duties and Paul Walter replacing him at the top of the order, meaning there were just three overseas players in the line-up.
Second-placed Fire won the toss and chose to bat, reaching an uncomfortable 4-0 from the first ten balls after Josh Tongue didn’t concede a single run off his first five balls.
Leus du Plooy with a big drop catch for the Giants…
Spin was introduced at that stage, with Liam Dawson seeing Matt Short dropped almost immediately. The openers took full advantage, progressing steadily at first before opening up to reach 76 at the halfway stage. Their century partnership – the first in Fire men’s history – came up after 70 balls.
Short was particularly severe on Noor Ahmad, who conceded 34 runs from 15 balls, while Sonny Baker was even more expensive. Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue, however, were excellent, with the latter finally breaking the opening partnership at 125 after 83 balls by dismissing Phil Salt for 48. Short went on to make 71 from 47 balls, but with quick runs needed late on, Joe Root was not required at the crease as Fire posted what appeared to be a par score of 155, thanks largely to Rachin Ravindra’s late cameo.
Sam Cook was unusually expensive with the ball as the Super Giants began their innings, with openers Tim Seifert and Paul Walter taking a liking to the pace of the Essex seamer, Chris Woakes and Lockie Ferguson as they raced to 53 without loss in the powerplay.
Walter went for 37 but the home side were 104-1 off 50, an extraordinary three no balls in six balls from Ferguson giving them a real boost.
Buttler started cautiously before switching into full attack mode, launching Marco Jansen into the stands to become the leading run-scorer in Twenty20 history, surpassing Kieron Pollard’s tally of 14,803 runs. He celebrated the milestone by clearing the ropes in each of the next two balls, before adding further successive sixes to bring up a 20-ball half-century and guide his side home with ease.
Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue headed to Man Utd’s Carrington training ground to meet players, club legends and head coach Michael Carrick
What is happening in The Hundred on Thursday?
After Wednesday’s four games in a day, Thursday sees a return to a single double-header and a capital city derby clash as London Spirit women’s team host MI London from 3pm before the men’s sides square off from 6.30pm. Catch both fixtures live on Sky Sports.
Watch every match of The Hundred through to the finals on Sunday August 16. Watch The Hundred and more contract-free on NOW
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