The Manchester Super Giants, formerly known as the Manchester Originals, finally secured their maiden Men’s Hundred title at Lord’s. After suffering heartbreaks in the 2022 and 2023 finals against the Trent Rockets and Oval Invincibles respectively, the team broke their streak with a five-wicket victory. This result prevented the Trent Rockets from achieving a historic double, as their women’s side had already claimed the title earlier that day.
Sent in to bat, the Trent Rockets saw openers Finn Allen and Ben Duckett put together a 48-run partnership against the pace attack of Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue, and Sonny Baker. However, Jos Buttler introduced wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad, who quickly dismissed both openers. Aneurin Donald provided a brief spark with a 19-ball 38, but a middle-order collapse left the Rockets reeling at 97-5. A late-innings recovery led by Lewis Gregory and Mitchell Santner, which included successive sixes off Liam Dawson and Atkinson, helped the Rockets reach 158-8. This total was significantly higher than the venue’s season average of 141.
The Manchester Super Giants’ chase began aggressively, with Tim Seifert taking 14 runs off Mohammad Amir’s first five balls. Seifert and Paul Walter combined for a 61-run stand in just 31 deliveries. Seifert reached his half-century in 23 balls and finished with a match-defining 72 off 38, featuring seven sixes. His performance earned him Tournament MVP honors, concluding the season with 394 runs. Support came from captain Jos Buttler, who struck three sixes in his 14-ball 23, and Leus du Plooy, who remained unbeaten on 27 off 18 balls.
The match remained tense until the final stages. After Seifert departed with 23 runs still required from 22 balls, the Rockets claimed late wickets, including Heinrich Klaasen and a second-ball duck for Michael Bracewell. Ultimately, Liam Dawson secured the win by hitting Ben Sanderson for a six over midwicket, clinching the title with two balls remaining. In the final scorecard, the Trent Rockets finished on 158/8, while the Manchester Super Giants reached 162/5 in 98 balls. Noor Ahmad led the bowling effort with 3-33, while Mohammad Amir took 3-29 for the Rockets. The report also notes that the Super Giants finally lifted the trophy courtesy a sensational match-winning knock from Tim Seifert, who slammed 72 in 38 balls to, having suffered final defeats in 2022 to the Rockets and 2023 to the Oval Invincibles. The report also notes that smashing 17 off his first six balls from Ahmad before falling for a 19-ball 38, aneurin Donald immediately counterattacked. The report also notes that but Lewis Gregory and Mitchell Santner orchestrated a crucial late-overs rescue, a sudden collapse to 97-5 put the Rockets on the backfoot.
