Trent Rockets keep pace with Oval Invincibles by dispatching Manchester Originals

The top two meet at the Kia Oval on Thursday (August 21) after winning four of their opening five matches each

ECB Media | 19/08/2025 at 20:55

Trent Bridge: Manchester Originals 98-9, Trent Rockets 101-3 - Trent Rockets won by seven wickets

David Willey and Rehan Ahmed spearheaded a superb display from Trent Rockets as they made short work of Manchester Originals and moved level on points with Oval Invincibles at the top of the table.

Willey, the Rockets skipper, was in inspired form at Trent Bridge, bowling 20 of the first 30 deliveries in the Originals innings and returning figures of 3 for 11, his best in The Hundred, as the visitors made just 98 for 8 from their 100 balls.

Ben McKinney was Willey's first victim, trapped lbw for a duck, before dangerman Jos Buttler (19 from 16) and Rachin Ravindra nicked behind to consecutive deliveries from the left-armer as the Originals slipped to 26 for 3.

Rehan (2 for 14) claimed the key wicket of Heinrich Klaasen when the South African holed out to Sam Hain at long-on for nine, and two stunning catches in the space of two deliveries reduced the visitors to 51 for 6.

Joe Root took a screamer off Sam Cook (2 for 21) to send Matty Hurst on his way, and Ahmed picking up his second when George Linde judged a boundary catch to perfection to dismiss Phil Salt for 19.

It took a late-order cameo from Lewis Gregory, who struck two sixes in his unbeaten 33 from 21, to give the total some kind of respectability, but it never looked like being enough against a Rockets outfit that is firing on all cylinders.

Sonny Baker, Sunday night's hat-trick hero, made an early breakthrough when he had Root caught behind and Ravindra trapped Tom Banton lbw to leave the Rockets 22 for 2, but Rehan showed off his silky strokeplay in making an unbeaten 45 from 35.

Max Holden fell to Josh Tongue via a one-handed grab from Salt, but Ahmed and Tom Moores (22 not out from 13) ensured a comprehensive win, the hosts reaching their target with 26 balls to spare to register a fourth win in five and leave them behind the Invincibles on net run-rate.

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