A new name has done the trick. The Manchester Super Giants – once known as the Originals, now part of the tournament’s IPL-ification – triumphed in the final of the men’s Hundred, surviving a late wobble to beat Trent Rockets by five wickets. Tim Seifert set up victory with 72 off 38 balls; Liam Dawson completed it with two balls remaining, a six to seal it.
New Zealand’s Seifert turned Jos Buttler, his captain, into a support act in a chase of 159, his scarily high backlift producing seven sixes and a 23-ball half-century. The 31-year-old launched far higher than any of the Rockets, their innings defined by useful cameos. Noor Ahmad fizzed the ball down for the Super Giants, taking three for 33, but this was Seifert’s night as the Manchester side won the tournament for the first time after two previous runners-up finishes.
The Rockets, who were going for a double after their women’s side had triumphed earlier in the piece, did offer a scare at the close. Seifert departed with 22 balls remaining, 23 still required – and the Super Giants stumbled. Mohammad Amir removed Heinrich Klaasen and Michael Bracewell and, with three required off the last over, Dawson struck air with his first two balls. It would be third time lucky, Ben Sanderson sent over deep midwicket to finally finish it.
It closed a season defined by team reboots and a drop in overall attendance. There has been Jude Bellingham in the ground, the introduction of the illogical name that is MI London and the persistence of a key problem: the cricket is yet to dominate conversation. Of course, a final allows the actual sport to breathe a little and a last-over end was welcome after Seifert had threatened to complete it much earlier. “It was a little bit [more] stressful than it needed to be,” said a relieved Buttler.
Lord’s was a psychedelic place before the start. Ella Eyre had the thankless task as musical guest while the two sides warmed up yards away, daytime fireworks in full flow. This was a second consecutive men’s final for the Rockets but they had just the one survivor from last year: Sanderson. Ben Duckett’s runs had helped on their progress to this point while the Super Giants had enjoyed the fruits of an England pace triumvirate: Josh Tongue, Sonny Baker and Gus Atkinson. With Buttler deciding to bowl, Duckett against the quicks – what felt like the key battle at the start of the day – was first up.
Duckett got the scoop out against Atkinson and Baker, and was grateful for a drop; the left-hander reverse-swept the ball to Tongue, who erred at short third. Duckett looked on for a big one, having hit 141 against India at this ground last month.
Ahmad decided otherwise. The left-arm wrist-spinner struck with his first ball, to Finn Allen, and the delivery to Duckett moments later would not have been out of place in a red-ball game. A wrong’un caught the inside-edge before finding Buttler’s gloves, Duckett gone for 31. Another Ahmad googly later in the innings accounted for Australia’s Tim David, whose difficult tournament – 90 runs from eight knocks – ended with a first-ball edge to the sharp Buttler, leaving the Rockets on 91 for four after 59 deliveries.
In a match packed with internationals it was the uncapped Aneurin Donald who gave the Rockets their biggest lift. His 19-ball 38 included a mix-up with Sam Billings, prompting the captain’s run-out, but the Rockets could call upon a strong lower order for the finish. Mitchell Santner’s unbeaten 20 took him to a season’s batting average of 146. Lewis Gregory was brutal with a 16-ball 32.
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It looked like a decent score but Seifert was in a hurry, taking 14 off Amir’s first over and pulverising the leg-side. He appeared a goner on 33 after finding Allen by the leg-side rope; the Rockets man leaped beyond the boundary before flicking it back into play for Calvin Harrison to complete the catch. The decision went upstairs and was adjudged not out due to Allen brushing the rope in the buildup.
Seifert moved to his half-century by slogging Harrison into the Mound Stand, with the Super Giants reaching 87 for one off 50 balls. Their control grew when Buttler went stratospheric against Harrison with back-to-back sixes, but an attempt at a third cost him when he found long-off. Would this be a gamechanging moment? It was nearly the case, but Dawson got it right at the end.