Trent Rockets secured a commanding win in a high‑stakes encounter against Manchester Super Giants at Old Trafford, propelling them to the summit of the Hundred standings. The match turned on a spectacular unbeaten innings from New Zealand’s Finn Allen, who smashed 72 runs off just 35 deliveries, steering the Rockets to chase down a modest target of 138 with 13 balls remaining.
The chase began with an early setback when Ben Duckett was dismissed on the second ball of the innings. He fell to an attempted scoop that was neatly taken by his England teammate Gus Atkinson.
Shortly after, Tom Banton was also removed, this time by fast bowler Sonny Baker, increasing the pressure on the middle order and on the newly‑arrived Sam Billings. Billings and Allen, however, refused to be rattled. They methodically tackled both spin and seam, forging a rapid 50‑run partnership in just 25 balls.
Allen’s innings was a masterclass in power hitting; after surviving a close caught‑and‑bowled chance off Liam Dawson on 32, he surged ahead to reach his half‑century in a brisk 23 balls. Billings, meanwhile, contributed valuable runs before falling to Atkinson, and Tim David was later dismissed by Baker. With wickets falling, Mitchell Santner entered the fray, adding 24 runs not out from 17 balls and forming a steady alliance with Allen.
Their combined effort eased the Rockets to a comfortable six‑wicket victory, cementing their position at the top of the table. Manchester Super Giants had a strong start, cruising to 38 runs without loss at the conclusion of the powerplay. Their momentum was disrupted by Craig Overton, who claimed three wickets in quick succession, unsettling the home side. Overton dismissed both openers, Tim Seifert (caught at mid‑off) and Aiden Markram (caught at mid‑on), before trapping Heinrich Klaassen for a two‑ball duck on the square‑leg boundary.
The pitch proved difficult for the Giants’ batsmen to accelerate on. Jos Buttler and Leus du Plooy struggled against Mitchell Santner’s spin and the varied pace and length offered by Lewis Gregory.
The deadlock finally broke when du Plooy struck a six off the final ball of Matt Henry’s spell, then followed it with a maximum off Mohammad Amir, lifting the Giants to 115‑3 with ten balls to go. In the closing stages, the Super Giants displayed resilience. Buttler smashed two fours and a six off Gregory in the last five deliveries, reaching his third consecutive half‑century and finishing unbeaten on 55, while the side wrapped up at 137‑3.
Nevertheless, the explosive Kiwi Allen made quick work of the remaining runs, guiding the Rockets to a decisive win. The victory not only gave the Rockets three points but also moved them ahead of their rivals in the men’s competition, while the women’s tournament saw Southern Brave defeat Birmingham Phoenix to claim their first win of the 2026 season. In other news, Southern Brave maintained an unbeaten record in the women’s league after a comfortable triumph over Birmingham Phoenix, and the Rockets handed Welsh Fire their inaugural defeat of the campaign, with Ben Duckett starring and Lhuan‑dre Pretorius delivering a standout performance for London Spirit.
Fans can also look forward to upcoming fixtures: a double‑header on Saturday sees Birmingham Phoenix host Welsh Fire, with the women’s match kicking off at 11:00 am and the men’s contest at 2:30 pm. Later that afternoon, at Lord’s, the women’s clash between London Spirit and Southern Brave begins at 2:30 pm, followed by the men’s game at 6:00 pm. The Hundred continues to broadcast all matches live on Sky Sports, with the tournament running from July 21 to August 16.
The finals are slated for Sunday, August 16, and viewers can also stream the competition contract‑free on NOW. Reflecting on his performance, Finn Allen, who was named the Meerkat Match Hero, commented, “It was tough at the start; the bowlers were on point and gave us a real challenge. Their bowling unit is quite impressive.
I wanted to lay a solid foundation early on and absorb any pressure that came my way.” Overall, the match highlighted the depth of talent in the Rockets’ lineup, the strategic acumen of their bowlers, and the thrilling, fast‑paced nature of The Hundred format, promising more excitement as the season progresses.