Trent Rockets secured a comfortable victory over Welsh Fire at Sophia Gardens, handing the visitors their inaugural defeat in The Hundred this campaign. The Rockets chased down a modest target of 123 runs with 28 balls to spare, thanks largely to an unbeaten 52 from Ben Duckett, who guided his side across the line. The chase got off to a shaky start, with the Rockets’ opening partnership failing to find a smooth rhythm. However, the Fire’s bowling unit proved costly, leaking a total of four free‑hit deliveries in the powerplay and seven across the entire innings, which eased the pressure on the batting side.
Duckett faced the first four balls of the innings, managing only a single boundary, but he and fellow opener Finn Allen (who contributed 33) steadied the ship and had the score at 42‑0 after 25 deliveries. Allen then unleashed an aggressive spell, scoring 17 runs off Sam Cook’s opening five balls. The duo pushed the total to 75 before Allen’s wicket fell, caught lbw to fellow Kiwi Rachin Ravindra.
Undeterred, Duckett continued his assault, partnering Tom Banton (who added 31) to steer the Rockets toward a second half‑century in as many matches, this time reaching the mark from just 42 balls. Their partnership ensured the Rockets sealed a second win from three games, moving them up to second place on the league table. Welsh Fire, who had been forced to bat first, stumbled early, losing Phil Salt and England captain Joe Root for just five runs each to a disciplined spell from Matt Henry (2‑16). Their powerplay concluded at 26‑2, and despite a brief resurgence that saw them reach 59‑2 at the halfway stage, they soon lost three wickets in quick succession, including a quickfire 36 from Matt Short.
Jordan Cox tried to revive the innings with three consecutive sixes off Mitchell Santner’s left‑arm spin, but his attempt at a fourth six ended dramatically when he was caught on the cover boundary by a diving Finn Allen. The Fire eventually limped to 122‑7, 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 modest target proved straightforward for the Rockets, who comfortably chased it down, reinforcing their position near the top of the standings.
In post‑match comments, Duckett praised the bowlers for their adaptability to the pitch, noting that the early free‑hits had been a crucial factor. He admitted he struggled to find his rhythm at times but highlighted Finn Allen’s aggressive intent and Tom Banton’s composure as key elements that alleviated the pressure on him.
Elsewhere in the competition, 20‑year‑old Lhuan‑dre Pretorius delivered a spectacular performance for London Spirit, smashing 64 runs from just 28 balls to secure a seven‑wicket win over MI London in a fiercely contested London derby. Chasing 165, Pretorius and Jonny Bairstow exploded out of the gate, with Pretorius launching a massive six that travelled 106 metres over mid‑wicket.
The pair accelerated the Spirit’s scoring, reaching 50 in just 18 balls and closing the powerplay at 61‑0, effectively dismantling the opposition’s early plans. Although Bairstow fell for 23 off 12 balls, Pretorius kept the momentum alive, notching his first Hundred half‑century from 23 deliveries and striking seven boundaries in total. He was dismissed by Trent Boult when the Spirit were 101 for one, but his earlier onslaught had already set the tone.
Dewald Brevis added a quickfire 37 not out from 18 balls, guiding the Spirit to victory with 11 balls remaining, delivering the team’s first win of the season and lifting them out of the bottom of the table. MI London’s innings had started more cautiously, with Will Jacks (65) and James Vince (26) navigating a disciplined spell from David Willey (0‑22) and Adam Milne (0‑21) to finish the powerplay at 28‑0. Their patience paid off as they built momentum 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) claimed the wickets of Jacks and newcomer Nicholas Pooran in quick succession.
Jacks eventually departed for a fine 65 off 44 balls, becoming the highest run‑scorer in the history of The Hundred men’s competition. Overton continued to apply pressure, dismissing Jason Roy on review, while MI London’s veteran Jason Roy was replaced by Sam Curran, who sat out due to a precautionary muscle tightness.
Late‑stage hitting from Sherfane Rutherford pushed MI London past the 160‑run mark, but his dismissal for 41 off 19 balls left the hosts with a target that proved too steep for the disciplined Spirit chase. Pretorius, reflecting on his performance, expressed satisfaction with the win and optimism for future matches, noting that a specific practice session with batting coach Dinesh Karthik on a particular shot over short‑fine and fine‑leg had paid dividends, even though it also resulted in his dismissal.
Upcoming action sees Southern Brave host Birmingham Phoenix on Thursday, with the women’s match scheduled for 3 pm and the men’s fixture following at 6.30 pm, both broadcast live on Sky Sports and available to stream on NOW.