Trent Rockets secured a comprehensive victory over Welsh Fire, handing the hosts their inaugural defeat of the season in The Hundred at Sophia Gardens. The chase was comfortably achieved, with the Rockets surpassing a modest target of 123 runs with 28 balls to spare, thanks largely to Ben Duckett’s unbeaten 52. The opening phase of the Rockets' innings was far from smooth, but the Fire bowlers made several costly errors, conceding four no‑ball freebies in the powerplay and a total of seven wides throughout the innings.
Duckett, who opened the chase, managed just one boundary in his first four deliveries, yet he and fellow opener Finn Allen (who contributed 33) steadied the ship and pushed the score to 42 for no wicket after 25 balls, a start that left the team in a comfortable position. Allen, known for his aggressive style, quickly turned the momentum in the Rockets' favour.
He rattled off 17 runs off Sam Cook’s first five balls, and together with Duckett they built a partnership that took the total to 75 before Allen was dismissed lbw by fellow New Zealander Rachin Ravindra for 33. Duckett, now joined by Tom Banton (31), continued the assault, reaching a second consecutive half‑century in just 42 balls. This performance cemented the Rockets' second win from three matches, propelling them up to second place in the league table.
Welsh Fire, who had elected to bat first, stumbled early, ending their powerplay at 26 for two wickets. Their early losses included Phil Salt and England captain Joe Root, each dismissed for five runs by Matt Henry (2‑16).
After reaching 59 for two at the halfway mark, Fire attempted to rebuild but lost three wickets in the next 14 balls, including the well‑set Matt Short, who had been cruising at 36 off 26 balls. Jordan Cox tried to revive the innings by hammering three consecutive sixes off Mitchell Santner’s left‑arm spin, only to be caught spectacularly on the cover boundary by a diving Allen while attempting a fourth six. The Fire were eventually bowled out for 122 for seven, with tail‑enders Asa Tribe (13 not out) and Chris Woakes (4 not out) unable to find the boundary against the disciplined bowling of Mohammad Amir and Lewis Gregory. The Rockets’ chase was largely untroubled.
Duckett’s calm innings, supported by the power‑hitting of Allen and Banton, saw the target evaporate well before the allotted overs. In post‑match comments, Duckett praised the bowlers for their adaptability to the pitch and acknowledged the advantage provided by the four free‑hits, while also admitting he struggled to find rhythm at times.
He highlighted Finn Allen’s aggressive intent and Tom Banton’s ability to relieve pressure as key factors in the victory. In a separate fixture, twenty‑year‑old Lhuan‑dre Pretorius delivered a spectacular performance for London Spirit, smashing 64 runs from just 28 balls to guide his side to a seven‑wicket win over MI London in a heated London derby. Chasing 165, Pretorius and Jonny Bairstow exploded out of the gates, with Pretorius dispatching a Trent Boult delivery for a towering six that travelled an estimated 106 metres over mid‑wicket.
The pair raced to 50 in just 18 balls and closed the powerplay at 61 for no wicket, effectively dismantling the opposition’s early plans. Although Bairstow fell for 23 off 12 balls, Pretorius kept the momentum alive, reaching his first Hundred half‑century in just 23 balls, striking the ropes seven times.
He was eventually caught by Boult at 101 runs, just before the halfway point of the Spirit’s innings, but the damage was already done. Dewald Brevis added a rapid 37 not out from 18 balls, ensuring the Spirit secured victory with 11 balls to spare.
MI London’s innings, in contrast, began slowly. Will Jacks (65) and James Vince (26) faced disciplined bowling from David Willey (0‑22) and Adam Milne (0‑21), ending the powerplay at a modest 28 for no wicket.
Their patience was rewarded as they built partnerships against Adam Zampa and Andrew Tye, with Jacks reaching his own half‑century from 30 balls. However, the tide turned when Vince was dismissed by James Coles for 26 and Jamie Overton (3‑30) claimed Jacks and newcomer Nicholas Pooran in quick succession. Jacks eventually departed for a brilliant 65 off 44 balls, becoming the highest run‑scorer in the history of The Hundred men’s competition.
Overton continued the Spirit’s resurgence, removing Jason Roy (caught behind on review) and replacing the injured MI London captain Sam Curran, who sat out due to a precautionary muscle issue. Late hitting from Sherfane Rutherford pushed MI London past the 160‑run mark, but his 41 off 19 balls could not prevent Pretorius’s on‑fire display from sealing the Spirit’s win.
Both match heroes, Duckett and Pretorius, were highlighted on Sky Sports Cricket’s Meerkat Match Hero segment. Duckett emphasized the importance of early adaptation to pitch conditions and the impact of the free‑hits, while Pretorius expressed satisfaction with the team’s momentum and credited his training work with batting coach Dinesh Karthik for the successful shots over short‑fine and fine‑leg. Looking ahead, Southern Brave will host Birmingham Phoenix on Thursday, with the women’s game kicking off at 3 pm followed by the men’s contest at 6:30 pm, both broadcast live on Sky Sports. The Hundred continues to deliver high‑octane cricket, and fans can stream matches and related content on NOW, while keeping an eye on the evolving league tables and squad announcements for the 2026 season.