The Trent Rockets solidified their position at the summit of The Hundred standings with a dominant display that earned them their fifth triumph in six matches, while the Birmingham Phoenix were left stranded at the foot of the table. Sam Billings anchored the chase with an unbeaten 31, guiding his side to a modest target after the Phoenix stumbled to 111 for six despite a half-century from Joe Clarke. Meanwhile, Jos Buttler, representing the Manchester Super Giants, etched his name in the record books by becoming the all‑time leading run‑scorer in Twenty20 cricket.
Following the toss, the Rockets chose to field first. Early on, Will Smeed made history of a different sort – he became the inaugural player in The Hundred to finish a power‑play unbeaten without having added any runs to his tally. The opening 25 runs of the power‑play saw the loss of Mitch Owen, who was dismissed by Mohammad Amir. Amir’s own innings was cut short when he suffered a hamstring strain and was forced to leave the field immediately after taking the wicket.
Smeed’s stay at the crease ended quickly; he was caught for six off just 16 deliveries. The visiting Phoenix appeared tentative against a disciplined Rockets bowling attack that featured standout spells from spinners Calvin Harrison and Mitch Santner, as well as a steady performance by medium‑paceman Lewis Gregory.
Only Joe Clarke, the Phoenix’s leading run‑maker this season, managed to break free from the pressure. He reached a fifty in 37 balls and eventually compiled 62 runs off 47 deliveries, becoming the fourth victim of Craig Overton’s safe hands – a series of catches that set a new competition record. Apart from Clarke, only Laurie Evans managed to get into double figures as the Phoenix limped to a total of 111 for six from their allotted 100 balls. When Amir departed, captain Sam Billings expertly rotated his bowlers, keeping the pressure on while still eyeing a fourth consecutive Hundred title.
The Rockets’ opening pair, Ben Duckett and Finn Allen, enjoyed a calm start, taking the score to 29‑0 at the end of the power‑play. Mystery spinner Usman Tariq claimed Duckett’s wicket for 22 runs and celebrated his usual bowler’s dance, conceding just six runs in his first ten deliveries. However, the Rockets still needed more runs, as 113 would become the lowest total ever successfully defended in the men’s Hundred competition. Nye Donald provided a brief burst of aggression, hitting a six‑ball 17 before being dismissed.
Allen and Billings then rotated the strike at roughly a run a ball. Billings accelerated the innings with two consecutive sixes off Saqib Mahmood, including a spectacular slog sweep, pushing the required run rate down dramatically. The match was effectively sealed when Allen was caught by Tariq at short mid‑on for 28, leaving the Rockets needing only six runs from the remaining balls.
Billings capped the chase with another six, sealing a victory with 17 balls to spare and putting the Rockets in a comfortable position with two games left, easing their path to the final. Gregory reflected on the performance: "Our bowling unit was outstanding – we kept chipping away with crucial wickets. The conditions offered a mix of pace and variable bounce, and we focused on hitting the top of the stumps hard. The top order has been phenomenal, and we’re in a great spot playing exciting cricket.
We hope to maintain this momentum." In a separate contest, the Manchester Super Giants snapped a three‑game losing streak by defeating 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 comfortable win with 31 balls remaining. Seifert commented, "We aimed to get off to a solid start and keep the run rate steady. It was great to see Buttler in form at the other end.
We have two big games ahead, and this win gives us a nice boost." The Giants moved onto 12 points, just four behind the Fire with two matches each remaining. They achieved this without their regular captain Aiden Markram, who returned to South Africa for personal reasons.
Buttler stepped into the captaincy role, and Paul Walter replaced Markram at the top of the order, meaning the side fielded only three overseas players. Welsh Fire won the toss and elected to bat, slipping to 4‑0 after the first ten balls as Josh Tongue delivered a maiden spell. Spin was introduced early, with Liam Dawson bringing Matt Short into the attack almost immediately.
The openers built a steady partnership, reaching 76 runs at the halfway point. Their collaboration produced the first century partnership in Fire men’s history after 70 balls. Short’s aggressive spell later punished Noor Ahmad, who yielded 34 runs in 15 deliveries, while Sonny Baker proved even more costly.
Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue bowled effectively, with Tongue finally breaking the opening stand at 125 after 83 balls by dismissing Phil Salt for 48. Short later contributed 71 off 47 balls, but with quick runs required later, Joe Root was not needed as Fire posted a competitive total of 155, bolstered by Rachin Ravindra’s late cameo.
When the Super Giants began their chase, Sam Cook proved unusually expensive. Openers Tim Seifert and Paul Walter took to the pace of Essex seamers Chris Woakes and Lockie Ferguson, racing to 53 runs without loss in the power‑play. Walter was dismissed for 37, yet the home side stood at 104‑1 after 50 balls, aided by three no‑balls in six deliveries from Ferguson.
Buttler started cautiously before unleashing his full arsenal, striking Marco Jansen for a six that took him past Kieron Pollard’s 14,803 runs to become the all‑time leading scorer in Twenty20 cricket. He celebrated the milestone with two consecutive sixes, then added more boundaries to reach a 20‑ball fifty, steering his side to a comfortable victory.
Looking ahead, after a packed Wednesday featuring four games, Thursday will return to a single double‑header, highlighted by a capital‑city derby as the London Spirit women’s side 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.
Fans can watch every match of The Hundred through to the finals on Sunday, 16 August, with additional streaming available on NOW.