Trent Rockets secured a comprehensive victory over Welsh Fire at Sophia Gardens, handing the hosts their inaugural defeat of the campaign in The Hundred. The Rockets chased down a modest target of 123 runs with 28 balls remaining, propelled by an unbeaten 52 from Ben Duckett, who guided his side to a comfortable win. The opening phase of the Rockets' innings was anything but smooth. Early on, the Fire bowlers displayed a lack of discipline, conceding four wides in the powerplay and a total of seven extras throughout their spell.
Duckett, who opened the chase, managed only a single boundary in his first four deliveries, yet he and fellow opener Finn Allen (who contributed 33) steadied the ship, reaching 42 runs without loss after 25 balls. Their partnership, though not flamboyant, laid a solid foundation for what would become a dominant performance. Allen soon shifted gears, unleashing a flurry of aggressive strokes that saw him accumulate 17 runs off Sam Cook's first five balls. The duo continued to dominate an uninspired Fire attack, pushing the score to 75 before Allen was dismissed leg‑before‑wicket by fellow Kiwi Rachin Ravindra for 33.
Duckett, now joined by Tom Banton (31), pressed on and, after 42 deliveries, celebrated his second consecutive half‑century of the season, steering the Rockets to a second win from three matches and elevating them to second place on the league table. Welsh Fire, who had been forced to bat first, stumbled through their powerplay, ending at 26 for 2.
Their early wickets fell to Matt Henry, who claimed Phil Salt and Joe Root for just five runs each (2‑16). After reaching 59 for 2 at the halfway mark, the Fire attempted to accelerate but quickly lost three wickets in the next 14 balls, including the well‑set Matt Short, who was out for 36 off 26 deliveries. Jordan Cox offered a brief resurgence, hammering 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 were eventually bundled out for 122 for 7, with contributions from Asa Tribe (13 not out) and Chris Woakes (4 not out) falling short as they failed to find the boundary against the pace of Mohammad Amir and the medium‑pace of Lewis Gregory.
The modest target proved easy for the Rockets, who chased it down with ease, securing their second win of the tournament. Ben Duckett was named the Meerkat Match Hero, praising the bowlers for adapting quickly to the pitch and acknowledging the crucial role of the four wides awarded to the Fire, which eased the chase. He also highlighted the support from Finn Allen and Tom Banton, who helped relieve the pressure during his innings. In a separate fixture, twenty‑year‑old Lhuan‑dre Pretorius lit up the competition for London Spirit, smashing 64 runs off just 28 balls to steer his side to a seven‑wicket triumph over MI London in a thrilling London derby.
Chasing 165, Pretorius and Jonny Bairstow exploded out of the gates, with Pretorius dispatching a Trent Boult delivery 106 metres over mid‑wicket. The pair reached the Spirit's first 50 in a mere 18 balls and closed the powerplay at 61 for 0, effectively dismantling the opposition's early plans. Although Bairstow fell for 23 off 12 balls, Pretorius kept the momentum alive, reaching his maiden Hundred half‑century in just 23 deliveries and striking seven boundaries in total.
He was eventually dismissed by Boult when the Spirit's score stood at 101, just before the innings' midpoint, but his aggressive onslaught had already set the tone. Dewald Brevis added a rapid 37 not out from 18 balls, ensuring the Spirit clinched the win with 11 balls to spare, marking their first victory of the season and lifting them out of the bottom of the table. MI London’s innings had lacked the same explosive start. Will Jacks (65) and James Vince (26) faced disciplined bowling from David Willey (0‑22) and Adam Milne (0‑21), reaching only 28 for 0 at the close of the powerplay.
Their patience paid dividends as they accelerated against Adam Zampa and Andrew Tye, with Jacks reaching his own half‑century off 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 eventually departed for a fine 65 off 44 balls, becoming the highest run‑scorer in the history of the men's Hundred competition. Overton continued his impact by dismissing Jason Roy, who was caught behind after a review, replacing the sidelined MI London captain Sam Curran, who missed the match due to a precautionary muscle tightness.
Late‑stage hitting from Sherfane Rutherford propelled MI London past the 160‑run mark, but his 41 off 19 balls could not offset the onslaught from Pretorius, whose power hitting proved decisive. Pretorius was later named the Meerkat Match Hero, expressing satisfaction with the win and optimism about building momentum. He credited a training session with batting coach Dinesh Karthik, where he refined a shot over short‑fine and fine‑leg, a stroke that proved instrumental in his innings. Looking ahead, Southern Brave will 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.
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