The Hundred men’s competition, The Oval
MI London 147-7 (100 balls): S Curran 72 (46); Gregory 2-32
Trent Rockets 148-4 (90 balls): Santner 52* (23); Gleeson 2-27
Trent Rockets won by six wickets
Trent Rockets booked their place in the knockout stages of the men’s Hundred with a six-wicket victory against MI London at The Oval.
Rockets’ sixth win in seven matches guarantees them a top-three finish as they moved to 24 points at the top – eight more than the quartet of Sunrisers Leeds, Welsh Fire, MI London and Manchester Super Giants.
Rockets made a shaky start chasing 148 as Finn Allen fell to Tom Curran before Aneurin Donald and Sam Billings also departed, leaving them 46-3 after 30 balls.
Ben Duckett made 27 from 26 balls before he was dismissed by Richard Gleeson halfway through the innings, but Tim David and Mitchell Santner took full advantage of dropped catches – by Sam Curran and Sherfane Rutherford respectively – to steer their side to a sixth consecutive win.
David finished unbeaten on 32, while New Zealand white-ball captain Santner raced to his maiden Hundred half-century from 21 deliveries and struck the winning runs with 10 balls to spare – sealing Rockets’ first victory at the Oval in the competition.
Earlier, after being sent out to bat first, MI London made a rapid start, with the in-form Will Jacks, who had three fifties in four matches, looking in ominous touch again – but two brilliant pieces of fielding halted their early momentum.
First, David produced a superb catch running backwards to remove James Vince, before Duckett’s pinpoint direct hit while on the floor ran out Nicholas Pooran two balls later to leave the home side reeling at 35-2.
Jacks and captain Sam Curran then undertook a rebuilding job before the opener departed for 39, courtesy of a stunning reflex return catch by leg-spinner Calvin Harrison.
Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals for the hosts, but Sam Curran brought up a 30-ball half-century – finishing with 72 off 46 balls including four fours and five sixes.
He was dismissed on the final ball of the innings as MI London posted 147-7.