The Trent Rockets shattered the Manchester Super Giants' flawless opening run in The Hundred, handing them a 31‑run loss at Old Trafford Cricket Ground. The triumph was anchored by twin half‑centuries from Sophia Dunkley and Sophie Luff, complemented by a decisive four‑wicket spell from Ash Gardner. Chasing a modest target of 154, the Super Giants stumbled almost immediately. On the seventh ball of their innings, the dangerous left‑hander Smriti Mandhana was stumped for just four runs off Samantha Bates, giving the Rockets an early breakthrough.
The visitors quickly slipped to 31 for three, but veteran captain Meg Lanning, who had struggled to find her rhythm in the opening overs, finally asserted herself. She took on Katie Levick's leg‑spin with confidence, driving the ball powerfully and signalling that the innings was still alive.
Ash Gardner then turned the tide dramatically. She dismissed Lanning lbw for 35, leaving the Super Giants wobbling at 89 for five. Gardner switched to a catching role and, stationed at long‑off, took a spectacular catch to dismiss Kathryn Bryce for 27. The momentum had clearly shifted in favour of the Rockets.
Late‑order hits from Maitlan Brown kept the Super Giants' hopes flickering, but a crucial run‑out by Georgia Adams extinguished any realistic chance of a comeback. Gardner capped her spell with figures of 4 for 16, sealing the victory. The Rockets' own innings began with a setback when Beth Mooney fell early, bowled by Grace Ballinger after a mistimed pull that never left the ground.
In the absence of Nat Sciver‑Brunt, who was sidelined with a calf injury, Sophie Luff stepped in at number three and, alongside Dunkley, took charge of the chase. Luff displayed an aggressive approach, using her feet to launch a leg‑side maximum off Sophie Ecclestone and then targeting Bryce, who fell for three consecutive fours. Both batters then accelerated, dispatching the bowler Villiers for a six over mid‑wicket.
Their partnership surged to a fifty‑run stand in just 33 balls, laying a solid foundation. Luff reached her maiden half‑century in The Hundred, eventually being dismissed for 51 after a brief cameo. Dunkley followed suit, crafting a composed 57 before being caught at point off Ecclestone. Their combined effort propelled the Rockets beyond the 150‑run mark, a score that proved too steep for the Super Giants to chase.
The left‑arm spinner for the Super Giants managed to bowl Bess Heath for a duck, but Villiers soon fell as Gardner was stumped for five. The Super Giants lost three wickets for just five runs in a brief burst of resistance, but the damage was already done. The Rockets finished with a total that comfortably exceeded 150, cementing their dominance.
Post‑match, Dunkley reflected on the conditions: "I found the pitch a bit tricky. It wasn't my best fluency. I tried to use the angles because I found it hard to hit down the ground." Luff added, "Luffy was outstanding as well. Just came in, got the momentum and us to a really good score." Looking ahead, Saturday will feature a double‑header at Birmingham Phoenix, with the women's match against Welsh Fire at 11 am followed by the men's game at 2:30 pm.
Later that afternoon, London Spirit will take on Southern Brave at Lord's, with the men's fixture scheduled for 6 pm. Fans can continue to follow every match of The Hundred through to the finals on Sunday, 16 August, via the NOW streaming platform, which offers contract‑free access to the tournament.
The Rockets' victory marks their fifth consecutive win, underscoring a period of sustained excellence. Their blend of aggressive batting, incisive spin, and disciplined fielding has set a benchmark for other teams in the competition. As the tournament progresses, the Rockets will be keen to maintain their momentum and secure a place in the knockout stages, while the Super Giants will look to regroup and address the early wickets that cost them dearly in this encounter.