The Trent Rockets solidified their position at the summit of The Hundred standings with a near‑flawless display that earned them their fifth triumph in six outings, while the Birmingham Phoenix were left languishing at the bottom of the table. Sam Billings anchored the chase with an unbeaten 31, guiding the Rockets to a tidy win after the Phoenix stumbled to 111 for 6 despite a half‑century from Joe Clarke. In the same match, Manchester Super Giants captain Jos Buttler etched his name into the record books, becoming the all‑time leading run‑scorer in Twenty20 cricket.
The match began with the Rockets electing to field. Early on, Will Smeed made an unusual piece of history: he became the first player in The Hundred to finish the powerplay unbeaten without having scored a run. The powerplay itself yielded 25 runs for the Rockets, but the early momentum was disrupted when Mitch Owen fell to Mohammad Amir, who then suffered a hamstring strain and had to leave the field immediately after claiming the wicket.
Smeed’s innings ended quickly, falling for six off just 16 deliveries. The visiting side appeared tentative against a disciplined bowling attack that featured standout spells from spinners Calvin Harrison and Mitch Santner, as well as the all‑round contribution of Lewis Gregory. Among the Phoenix batters, only Joe Clarke managed to break free, reaching a fifty in just 37 balls and eventually finishing on 62 off 47 deliveries. Clarke’s effort made him the fourth victim of Craig Overton’s safe hands, with the catches setting a new competition record.
The rest of the Phoenix line‑up struggled to make an impact; Laurie Evans was the only other player to get into double figures as the team limped to a modest 111 for 6 from their allotted 100 balls. When Mohammad Amir was forced to depart, Rocket skipper Sam Billings reshuffled his bowlers with precision, keeping his eye on a fourth consecutive Hundred title.
In reply, the Rockets’ opening partnership of Ben Duckett and Finn Allen progressed smoothly, reaching 29 runs without loss at the end of the powerplay. Mystery spinner Usman Tariq dismissed Duckett for 22, delivering his trademark celebratory bow after conceding just six runs in his first ten balls. Despite the low scoring, the Rockets managed to defend a total of 113 – the lowest ever successfully defended in the men's Hundred competition.
Nye Donald provided a brief burst of aggression with a six‑ball 17, after which Allen and Billings rotated the strike at roughly a run a ball. Two consecutive sixes from Billings off Saqib Mahmood, including a flamboyant slog sweep, accelerated the innings. The finish was sealed when Allen was caught by Tariq at short mid‑on for 28, leaving the Rockets needing just six more runs. Billings hit another six, and the Rockets clinched the win with 17 balls to spare, putting them in a comfortable position with two games remaining and easing their path toward the final.
After the victory, Gregory praised his side’s bowling effort: "We were superb with the ball. We kept chipping away with important wickets. It was a little bit two‑paced, with a bit of variable bounce at times.
The bowling unit spoke about smashing the top of the stump as hard as we could. The guys up front with the bat have been outstanding.
We're in a really good position, playing some fantastic cricket, and hopefully we can continue that." In a separate contest, the Manchester Super Giants secured a crucial win over Welsh Fire at an overcast Emirates Old Trafford, keeping their qualification hopes alive. Tim Seifert and Jos Buttler each posted half‑centuries, steering the Giants to victory with 31 balls remaining. Seifert reflected on the innings: "We just tried to get off to a good start and maintain the run rate and it was good that we both got going. And it was quite nice to watch Buttler from the other end!
We've got two big games ahead and this is a good little boost for us." The Giants moved up to 12 points, now just four behind the Fire with two games left each. They achieved this without their regular 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 elected to bat, slipping to 4 for 0 after the first ten balls when Josh Tongue delivered five dot balls.
Spin was introduced early, with Liam Dawson bowling and Matt Short being dropped almost immediately. The openers built a steady partnership, reaching 76 at the halfway point, and eventually forged the first century partnership in Fire men’s history after 70 balls. Short’s aggressive spell against Noor Ahmad yielded 34 runs from 15 balls, while Sonny Baker proved even more expensive. Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue bowled well, with Tongue finally breaking the opening stand at 125 after 83 balls by dismissing Phil Salt for 48.
Short went on to score 71 off 47 balls, but the Fire’s total of 155, bolstered by a late cameo from Rachin Ravindra, appeared to be a par score. When the Super Giants began their chase, Sam Cook proved unusually costly for the Fire. Openers Tim Seifert and Paul Walter took to the pace of Essex seamer Chris Woakes and Lockie Ferguson, racing to 53 without loss in the powerplay. Walter contributed 37 runs, and the home side reached 104 for 1 after 50 balls, helped by three no‑balls in six deliveries from Ferguson.
Buttler started his innings cautiously before unleashing an aggressive assault, launching Marco Jansen into the stands and surpassing Kieron Pollard’s 14,803 runs to become the all‑time leading run‑scorer in Twenty20 cricket. He celebrated the milestone with a series of sixes, reaching a 20‑ball fifty and guiding his side to a comfortable win. Looking ahead, Thursday’s schedule returns to a single double‑header, featuring a capital‑city derby as London Spirit women host MI London at 3 p.m., followed by the men’s clash at 6.30 p.m. Both fixtures will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
The Hundred will continue through to the finals on Sunday, 16 August, with all matches available to stream on NOW without a contract.