Trent Rockets secured a comprehensive victory over Welsh Fire, handing the hosts their first defeat of the season in The Hundred during a dominant display at Sophia Gardens. The chase was comfortably achieved, with the Rockets surpassing the modest target of 123 runs with 28 balls remaining, thanks largely to Ben Duckett's unbeaten 52, which anchored the innings.
The opening phase of the Rockets' pursuit was far from effortless; however, the Fire's bowling unit proved erratic, conceding a total of seven wides and no‑balls, four of which fell within the powerplay. These free‑hits eased the pressure on the chasing side and allowed the run‑rate to climb steadily.
Duckett, who opened the innings, managed only a single boundary in his first four deliveries, yet he and fellow opener Finn Allen (who contributed 33) steadied the ship, moving the score to 42 for no loss after 25 balls. Their partnership, though not explosive, set a solid platform without raising any alarm. Allen then unleashed a burst of aggression, scoring 17 runs off Sam Cook's opening five balls of the spell.
Together, Duckett and Allen pushed 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 his fluent stroke‑play, reaching a second consecutive half‑century, this time from just 42 balls. The Rockets eventually posted a comfortable total, sealing their second win from three matches and moving up to second place in the league table. Welsh Fire, who were forced to bat first, stumbled early, ending their powerplay at 26 for two wickets.
Phil Salt and Joe Root were both dismissed for five runs each, victims of Matt Henry's disciplined spell (2‑16). The Fire's middle order tried to rebuild, reaching 59 for two at the halfway mark, but a flurry of three wickets in 14 balls, including the dismissal of set batsman Matt Short (36 off 26), halted any momentum. Jordan Cox attempted a counter‑attack, blasting three consecutive sixes off Mitchell Santner's left‑arm spin before being caught spectacularly on the cover boundary by a diving Allen while attempting a fourth six. The Fire ultimately slumped to 122 for seven, with lower‑order contributions from Asa Tribe (13 not out) and Chris Woakes (4 not out) failing to make a significant impact against the bowling of Mohammad Amir and Lewis Gregory.
The Rockets' chase was eased by the earlier free‑hits and the lack of sustained pressure from the Fire bowlers. Duckett reflected on the win, praising the bowlers for adapting quickly to the pitch and acknowledging the crucial role of his partners: "The bowlers were superb. Coming here, we spoke about adapting to the pitch as early as you can.
They take massive credit for this win. My aim was to get through the powerplay and then it became easier. Having Finn Allen at the other end whacking it made a big difference. The free‑hits helped, but I struggled to find rhythm at times.
Finn played beautifully and Banton took the pressure off me." In a separate fixture, twenty‑year‑old Lhuan‑dre Pretorius delivered a scintillating performance for London Spirit, smashing 64 runs from just 28 balls to propel his side to a seven‑wicket victory over MI London in a fiercely contested London derby. Chasing 165, Pretorius and Jonny Bairstow exploded out of the gates, with Pretorius dispatching Trent Boult for a towering six that travelled an estimated 106 metres over mid‑wicket. The duo raced to the Spirit's first fifty in just 18 balls and closed the powerplay on 61 for no loss, effectively dismantling the opposition's plans. Bairstow was dismissed for 23 off 12 balls, but Pretorius kept the onslaught alive, reaching his maiden Fifty in The Hundred from 23 deliveries and striking the boundary seven times.
He fell to Boult at 101 runs, just before the halfway point of the Spirit innings, but his earlier onslaught had already set the tone. Dewald Brevis added a rapid 37 not out from 18 balls, ensuring the Spirit secured their first win of the season with 11 balls to spare. MI London’s innings had been more measured. Will Jacks (65) and James Vince (26) negotiated the early spell from David Willey (0‑22) and Adam Milne (0‑21), ending the powerplay at a modest 28 for no loss.
Their patience paid off as they accelerated against Adam Zampa and Andrew Tye, with Jacks reaching his half‑century from 30 balls. However, the tide turned when Vince fell to James Coles for 26 and Jamie Overton (3‑30) removed both Jacks and newcomer Nicholas Pooran in quick succession. Jacks’ 65 off 44 balls made him the highest run‑scorer in the history of The Hundred men’s competition. Overton continued to apply pressure, dismissing veteran Jason Roy (caught behind on review) and forcing the MI London side to rely on Sam Curran, who was sidelined due to muscle tightness.
Late‑stage hitting from Sherfane Rutherford pushed MI London past the 160‑run mark, but his 41 off 19 balls could not offset the relentless assault by Pretorius, whose big hits eased the Spirit’s chase and kept them competitive in the tournament. Pretorius reflected on his performance: "I'm glad we got over the line.
It's really good to get off the mark and hopefully we can carry this momentum forward. I was working with DK (batting coach Dinesh Karthik) on a short‑fine and fine‑leg shot, and it paid off.
It also got me out, but that's part of the game. I'm happy to have contributed to the win." The upcoming schedule sees Southern Brave hosting Birmingham Phoenix on Thursday, with the women's match at 3 pm followed by the men's fixture at 6:30 pm, both broadcast live on Sky Sports. Fans can also stream The Hundred and additional content on the NOW platform.