The Trent Rockets continued to dominate the Hundred standings with a near‑flawless display that secured their fifth triumph in six matches, widening the gap at the top while consigning the Birmingham Phoenix to the foot of the table. Sam Billings anchored the chase with an unbeaten 31, guiding the Rockets to a comfortable finish after the Phoenix stumbled to 111 for six despite a solid 50 from Joe Clarke. Meanwhile, Jos Buttler, playing for the Manchester Super Giants, etched his name in the record books by becoming the all‑time leading run‑scorer in Twenty‑20 cricket. The match began with the Rockets opting to field.
Early on, Will Smeed made an odd piece of history: he became the first batter in Hundred history to remain not‑out without scoring when the powerplay ended. The Rockets managed only 25 runs in that opening phase, losing Mitch Owen to a hamstring injury suffered by Mohammad Amir, who was forced to leave the field shortly after taking the wicket. Smeed eventually fell for six off 16 deliveries, as the visitors appeared tentative against a disciplined bowling attack that featured standout spells from spinners Calvin Harrison and Mitch Santner, alongside the all‑rounder Lewis Gregory. Joe Clarke, the Phoenix’s leading run‑maker this season, was the sole batsman to break free from the pressure.
He reached a half‑century in just 37 balls and finished with 62 off 47, only to become the fourth victim of Craig Overton’s safe hands, each catch contributing to a new competition record. Apart from Laurie Evans, who managed to get into double figures, the rest of the Phoenix line‑up could not muster enough runs, limping to an underwhelming 111 for six from their allotted 100 balls. After Amir’s departure, skipper Sam Billings shuffled his bowlers with precision, keeping his eye on a fourth consecutive Hundred title.
When the Rockets came out to bat, the opening pair of Ben Duckett and Finn Allen enjoyed a relaxed start, cruising to 29 for no loss in the powerplay. Mystery spinner Usman Tariq claimed Duckett’s wicket for 22 and celebrated his usual bowler’s bow, conceding just six runs in his first ten deliveries. Nevertheless, the total on the board was modest, and the Rockets would later defend a record‑low 113 runs – the lowest ever successfully defended in the men's Hundred competition. Nye Donald contributed a typical aggressive 17 off six balls before being dismissed, after which Allen and Billings rotated the strike at roughly a run a ball.
Billings then unleashed two consecutive sixes off Saqib Mahmood, including a spectacular slog sweep that accelerated the scoring rate. The finish was sealed when Allen was caught by Tariq at short mid‑on for 28, leaving the Rockets needing only six more runs. Billings struck another six, sealing the win with 17 balls remaining and solidifying the Rockets' position with two games left, making their path to the final a little smoother.
Gregory reflected on the performance: "Our bowling was excellent. We kept chipping away with key wickets. The pitch offered a bit of variable bounce, but we focused on hitting the top of the stumps hard." He added, "The top order has been outstanding. We are in a great spot, playing quality cricket, and we hope to keep this momentum going." In a separate contest, the Manchester Super Giants broke a three‑game losing streak by beating Welsh Fire at an overcast Emirates Old Trafford, keeping their qualification hopes alive.
Half‑centuries from Tim Seifert and Jos Buttler propelled the Giants to a convincing win with 31 balls to spare. Seifert said, "We aimed to get a good start and maintain the run rate, and it was great to see Buttler in form at the other end. This win gives us a boost ahead of the big games coming up." The Giants moved onto 12 points, just four behind the Fire with two matches remaining each. They achieved this without captain Aiden Markram, who returned to South Africa for personal reasons.
Buttler assumed the captaincy, and Paul Walter stepped into the top‑order, meaning the side fielded only three overseas players. Welsh Fire won the toss and chose to bat, slipping to 4 for zero after the first ten balls, with Josh Tongue delivering a maiden spell.
Spin entered the attack early, and Liam Dawson saw Matt Short dropped almost immediately. The openers built a steady partnership, eventually reaching 76 at the midway point – the first century partnership in Fire men's history – before accelerating to 125 after 83 balls when Josh Tongue finally broke the stand by dismissing Phil Salt for 48. Short went on to score a rapid 71 from 47 balls, but the Fire’s total of 155, bolstered by Rachin Ravindra’s late cameo, proved competitive. When the Super Giants began their innings, Sam Cook proved expensive, while openers Tim Seifert and Paul Walter capitalised on the pace of Essex seamer Chris Woakes and New Zealand quick Lockie Ferguson, racing to 53 without loss in the powerplay.
Walter fell for 37, but the Giants were 104 for one after 50 overs, aided by three no‑balls in six deliveries from Ferguson. Buttler started cautiously before unleashing a barrage of attacks, hitting Marco Jansen for a six that took him past Kieron Pollard’s 14,803 runs to become the all‑time Twenty‑20 leading run‑scorer. He celebrated the milestone with two more sixes, then completed a 20‑ball half‑century, steering his side to a comfortable victory. Looking ahead, Thursday will feature a single double‑header, beginning with a London Spirit women’s derby against MI London at 3 pm, followed by the men’s clash at 6:30 pm.
Both matches will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, with all Hundred fixtures available for streaming on NOW up to the final on 16 August.