Trent Rockets secured a comprehensive victory over Welsh Fire at Sophia Gardens, handing the hosts their inaugural defeat of the season in The Hundred. The chase was comfortably achieved, with the Rockets surpassing a modest target of 123 runs with 28 balls still remaining.
Ben Duckworth anchored the run‑chase, remaining unbeaten on 52, while his partner Finn Allen contributed a quick‑fire 33, propelling the visitors to a solid 42‑0 after just 25 deliveries. The early phase of the Rockets' innings was anything but smooth; however, the Fire bowlers proved erratic, leaking four no‑ball free hits in the powerplay and a total of seven wides throughout their spell.
Duckworth, who faced the first four balls, managed only a single boundary but, together with Allen, steadied the ship and kept the required run‑rate well within reach. Allen then unleashed an aggressive onslaught, scoring 17 runs off Sam Cook's first five balls.
The duo continued to dominate an uninspired Fire attack, pushing the total to 75 before Allen fell lbw to fellow Kiwi Rachin Ravindra for 33. Duckworth, now joined by Tom Banton, who added 31, kept the momentum alive.
Duckworth celebrated his second consecutive half‑century, this time reaching 50 from just 42 balls, guiding the Rockets to their second win from three matches and lifting them to second place on the league table. Welsh Fire, who had been forced to bat first, stumbled early, ending their powerplay at 26‑2.
Their early wickets fell to Matt Henry, who claimed Phil Salt and Joe Root for five runs each, while Henry’s second wicket came from a mis‑executed ramp shot. After a brief resurgence to 59‑2 at the halfway mark, Fire lost three wickets in quick succession, including a well‑timed dismissal of Matt Short, who had been set at 36 from 26 balls.
Jordan Cox attempted to revive the innings, hammering three consecutive sixes off Mitchell Santner’s left‑arm spin, but was caught spectacularly on the cover boundary while attempting a fourth six. 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 disciplined bowling of Mohammad Amir and Lewis Gregory in the final overs. Their total proved insufficient as the Rockets comfortably chased it down, cementing their ascent in the standings. Post‑match, Ben Duckworth was hailed as the Meerkat Match Hero on Sky Sports Cricket.
He praised the bowlers for their adaptability to the pitch and highlighted the importance of the early free hits, admitting he struggled to find rhythm but benefited from Finn Allen’s aggressive stroke‑play and Tom Banton’s steadying presence. In a separate fixture, 20‑year‑old Lhuan‑dre Pretorius delivered a spectacular performance for London Spirit, smashing 64 runs off 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 gates, with Pretorius dispatching a massive six that traveled 106 metres over mid‑wicket.
The pair raced to 50 in just 18 balls, closing the powerplay at 61‑0 and effectively dismantling the opposition’s early plans. Bairstow fell for 23 off 12 balls, but Pretorius continued his on‑fire display, reaching his first Hundred half‑century from 23 deliveries and striking seven boundaries in the process.
He was eventually dismissed by Trent Boult when the Spirit’s score stood at 101, just before the innings’ midpoint, but his aggressive start had already set the platform for Dewald Brevis, who added an unbeaten 37 from 18 balls, sealing the victory with 11 balls to spare. MI London’s innings had begun more cautiously.
Will Jacks (65) and James Vince (26) negotiated a disciplined spell from David Willey (0‑22) and Adam Milne (0‑21), reaching 28‑0 at the end of the powerplay. Their patience paid off as they accelerated against Adam Zampa and Andrew Tye, with Jacks cruising to 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’ 65 from 44 balls made him the highest run‑scorer in the history of The Hundred men’s competition.
Overton continued the Spirit’s resurgence by dismissing Jason Roy, who was caught behind after a review. The MI London side had also been missing skipper Sam Curran, who sat out due to a precautionary muscle tightness issue. Late‑stage hitting from Sherfane Rutherford propelled MI London past the 160‑run mark, but his 41 off 19 balls could not prevent Pretorius’s on‑fire assault from sealing the Spirit’s win.
Pretorius, named the Meerkat Match Hero, expressed his delight at the victory, noting that a specific practice session with batting coach Dinesh Karthik on a particular shot over short‑fine and fine‑leg paid dividends, even though it also led to his dismissal. He emphasized the importance of gaining momentum early in the tournament. Looking ahead, Southern Brave will host Birmingham Phoenix on Thursday, with the women's match kicking off at 3 pm followed by the men’s game at 6:30 pm, both broadcast live on Sky Sports. Fans can also stream The Hundred and other contract‑free cricket action on NOW, while keeping up with the latest tables, squad announcements for 2026, and news updates across the competition.