Manchester Originals overpower Northern Superchargers

There were half-centuries for Jos Buttler and Heinrich Klaasen as Originals smashed 171 for 3 in their 100 balls before Sonny Baker and Josh Tongue took three wickets apiece as Superchargers slipped to 114 all out

ECB Media | 17/08/2025 at 18:15

Old Trafford: Manchester Originals 171-3, Northern Superchargers 114 - Manchester Originals won by 57 runs

Manchester Originals are right back in the shake-up of the Men's Hundred after an ultimately emphatic victory against the in-form Northern Superchargers.

Jos Buttler registered his seventh fifty in the history of The Hundred to go top of this year's run-scorers chart. He was ably supported by the classy New Zealander Rachin Ravindra, playing his first match of this year's tournament, who struck 31 from just 14 balls, and then Heinrich Klaasen, who roared back into nick with a savage 25-ball 50.

Only Matthew Potts offered much counter-thrust, picking up two wickets, but even he was helpless to halt the carnage at the death as Buttler and Klaasen combined to strike 27 runs from the final 11 balls. In all, Superchargers gave up nine sixes.

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^{Jos Buttler hammered a half century (Joe Prior/Getty Images)}

Much then hinged on the Superchargers getting off to a flyer. Zak Crawley clattered two cover drives from his first set bowled by Sonny Baker, and then smashed a six off his England teammate Josh Tongue. But a sharp catch at backward point from Matty Hurst saw Crawley depart for a 9-ball 16, and thereafter their chase flatlined.

The key moment was the dismissal of Harry Brook, who top-edged an attempted sweep for 11 to give Ravindra his first wicket of this year's competition.

Originals have an enviably varied attack, with Josh Tongue, Scott Currie and the effervescent Baker – last week called into England's white-ball squads – providing the cutting edge and the Afghan mystery spinner Noor Ahmad offering the sparkle.

Tongue and Baker shared three wickets apiece – with nine victims, Tongue is now top of the wicket-takers list, one ahead of his teammate Currie – while Ahmad was irresistible, taking two wickets and conceding less than a run a ball. Ravindra, with his left-arm spin, offered further control in the middle sets.

For Superchargers, it was an afternoon to forget. Only David Miller, with 38, managed to make it past 19. They nonetheless remain right in the mix, in a three-way tie at the top, ahead of a crucial week in this intriguing tournament.