Trent Rockets secured a comprehensive victory over Welsh Fire, handing the hosts their first defeat of the season in The Hundred during a dominant display at Sophia Gardens. The chase was comfortably achieved, with the Rockets surpassing a modest target of 123 runs with 28 balls still remaining. Ben Duckett anchored the run chase, remaining unbeaten on 52, and guiding his side to a convincing win. The opening phase of the Rockets' innings was far from effortless.
The Fire bowlers struggled with discipline, conceding four wides in the powerplay and a total of seven extra deliveries throughout their spell. Duckett, who faced the first four balls of the innings, managed only a single boundary early on, but he and fellow opener Finn Allen (who contributed 33) steadied the ship, taking the score to 42 for no loss after 25 deliveries.
Their partnership, though not flamboyant, laid a solid foundation without raising any immediate concerns. Allen soon displayed his aggressive intent, ripping 17 runs off Sam Cook's first five balls.
The pair continued to dominate a lack‑luster Fire attack, pushing the total to 75 before Allen fell lbw to his compatriot Rachin Ravindra for 33. Duckett, now joined by Tom Banton (31), kept the momentum alive, reaching a second consecutive half‑century, this time in just 42 balls.
The Rockets' steady accumulation of runs ensured they recorded their second win from three matches, moving them up the league table. Welsh Fire, who were forced to bat first, stumbled early, ending their powerplay at 26 for two wickets.
Phil Salt and Joe Root were each dismissed for five runs, victims of Matt Henry's disciplined spell (2‑16). The early loss of these top‑order batsmen put the Fire under pressure. After reaching 59 for two at the halfway point, they attempted to rebuild, but a flurry of wickets followed: three dismissals came in just 14 balls, including the dismissal of set batsman Matt Short, who made 36 from 26 deliveries. Jordan Cox (33) tried to revive the innings by hammering three consecutive sixes off Mitchell Santner's left‑arm spin, only to be caught spectacularly on the cover boundary by a diving Allen while attempting a fourth six.
The Fire slumped to 122 for seven, with lower‑order contributors Asa Tribe (13 not out) and Chris Woakes (4 not out) unable to find the fence against the bowling of Mohammad Amir and Lewis Gregory in the final overs. Their total proved insufficient as the Rockets chased it down with ease, solidifying their second‑place position in the standings. Match hero Ben Duckett reflected on the win, noting, "The bowlers were superb. Coming here, we spoke about adapting to the pitch as early as you can.
They take massive credit for this win. My aim was to get through the powerplay and then it became easier. Having Finn Allen at the other end whacking it made a huge difference. The four wides really helped, but I struggled to find rhythm throughout the innings.
Finn played beautifully and Banton took the pressure off me." In a separate fixture, 20‑year‑old Lhuan‑dre Pretorius delivered a stunning performance for London Spirit, blasting 64 runs off just 28 balls to secure a seven‑wicket triumph over MI London in a fiercely contested London derby. Chasing 165, Pretorius and Jonny Bairstow exploded from the outset, with Pretorius dispatching a Trent Boult delivery for a massive six that travelled an estimated 106 metres over mid‑wicket.
The pair raced to the Spirit's first 50 runs in just 18 balls and closed the powerplay at 61 for no wicket, effectively dismantling the opposition's early plans. Bairstow was dismissed for 23 off 12 balls, but Pretorius kept the momentum alive, reaching his first Hundred half‑century in just 23 deliveries and striking the rope seven times. He fell to Boult when the Spirit were 101 for one, just before the innings' midpoint, but the damage was already done.
Dewald Brevis added a rapid 37 not out from 18 balls, steering the Spirit to victory with 11 balls to spare, marking their first win of the season and lifting them out of the bottom of the table. MI London’s innings had not begun as explosively.
Will Jacks (65) and James Vince (26) faced disciplined bowling from David Willey (0‑22) and Adam Milne (0‑21), reaching only 28 for no loss at the end of the powerplay. Their patience paid off as they accelerated against Adam Zampa and Andrew Tye, with Jacks reaching his own half‑century from 30 balls. However, the tide turned when Vince was dismissed by James Coles for 26 and Jamie Overton (3‑30) claimed both Jacks and newcomer Nicholas Pooran in quick succession.
Jacks’ 65 from 44 balls elevated him to become the highest run‑scorer in the history of The Hundred men’s competition. Overton continued the Spirit’s resurgence, dismissing Jason Roy (caught behind on review) as the veteran returned to the MI London side in place of captain Sam Curran, who missed the match due to precautionary muscle tightness. Late‑order hits from Sherfane Rutherford propelled MI London past the 160‑run mark, but his 41 off 19 balls could not prevent the Spirit’s chase, as Pretorius’ power hitting proved decisive.
Pretorius, named Meerkat Match Hero, expressed his satisfaction: "I'm glad we got over the line. It's really good to get off the mark and hopefully we can carry this momentum forward. I batted for a while yesterday at training, working with DK [batting coach Dinesh Karthik] on that shot over short‑fine and fine‑leg and it paid off. It also got me out but that's part of the game.
I'm glad I could contribute to the team winning." 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 additional cricket content contract‑free on NOW, while keeping up with the latest tables, squad announcements for 2026, and news updates across the competition.