Manchester Originals edged out Hundred holders Trent Rockets by 10 runs to
disappoint a record crowd at Trent Bridge, defending 181-6 after Phil Salt
had smashed a stunning 86 off 32 balls.
A strong fightback from the home side’s bowlers gave them a chance, restricting the Originals to just 69 from their last 56 balls after Salt’s 12 fours and five maximums had seen them reach 112-1 from 44 and on for a massive score.
Rockets’ Daniel Sams (2-28) and Lewis Gregory (2-30) were outstanding given that it was a flat pitch, with Luke Wood recovering from a 14-run mauling off his first set of five to finish with 1-31 from 20.
Josh Tongue (3-32) and Paul Walter (2-24) were superb for the Originals, with Walters defending 14 off the last set to leave most of the 15,500 spectators disappointed that Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s 64 off 42, Colin Munro’s 36 from 22 and Joe Root’s 35 were not enough to get the job done.
Tom Kohler Cadmore’s impressive innings had set up an exciting finish
Rockets opted to bowl first but may have been having regrets as Salt hammered 30 runs in the first 10 balls on the way to a half-century in just 20 balls as the Originals, who recorded 58-1 in the powerplay, set off at a ferocious pace.
Jos Buttler, a spectator as Salt found the boundary seven times in that opening assault, lifted his first delivery over the rope at extra cover but missed out on many more as Ish Sodhi grabbed a fine low catch at midwicket.
Sam Cook put Salt down on 47 with a seemingly straightforward catch at deep square leg, off Sodhi’s bowling, although Cook eventually removed Salt with a slower delivery that saw the opener bowled after stepping across his stumps.
Gregory accounted for Max Holden – caught at long off – and Ashton Turner, falling to a much more difficult catch by Cook on the legside rope in a 25-ball spell immediately after Salt’s demise that saw just 30 runs added.
Trent Rockets battled back to see Manchester Originals post 181-6
Sams picked up a second scalp with a slow yorker that was too good for Laurie Evans and Luke Wood, having conceded 14 in five balls at the top of the innings, went for just 11 in two sets. Wood came back for his final set to concede just six more and scatter Jamie Overton’s stumps for good measure.
The Rockets target looked bigger still as Alex Hales succumbed to the first legitimate ball of their innings, a near unplayable ball from Tongue that had him caught behind off the splice.
Root and Kohler-Cadmore soothed the blow with 65 off 40 balls, Root getting off the mark with a single before bringing the reverse-ramp into play for his first boundary, but ultimately perishing playing a similar stroke as he was caught behind by an alert Buttler off the left-arm seam of Walter.
The hosts reached 84-2 at halfway and Kohler-Cadmore and Munro built on it well to leave them needing 28 from 14, only for the balance to tip towards the Originals as Tongue returned to dismiss both in his final set.
Munro caught behind off a thin inside edge as the bowler cramped him for room before Kohler-Cadmore, looking to ease the pressure with time running out, holed out to point off a big top edge.
Zaman Khan went for nine runs off his final set to leave 14 needed by Rockets off the last five and Walter was up to task, conceding only three and picking up a second wicket as Sams holed out off the last ball.
What’s next?
The Hundred continues on Friday at Lord’s, where London Spirit host the Northern Superchargers live on Sky Sports.
Friday 18th August 2:30pm
Friday 18th August 6:00pm
The women’s game is up first (2.30pm on air, 3pm start), where defeat for London Spirit will see them eliminated and victory for the Northern Superchargers will all-but guarantee them a top-three finish. Watch live on Sky Sports The Hundred, Sky Sports Mix or via a free stream on Sky Sports’ digital platforms.
The men’s match follows on Sky Sports The Hundred and Sky Sports Mix (6pm on air, 6.30pm start), where the Spirit will be looking to keep their play-off hopes alive against a Superchargers side who can boost their hopes of a top-three finish alive with a win.
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