Seifert Storms Lord's as Manchester Super Giants Claim First Hundred Title
Manchester Super Giants won their first men's Hundred title, beating Trent Rockets by five wickets in a final that came down to the last two balls at Lord's. For a franchise that had lost two previous finals — including to the same opponents in 2022 — the breakthrough carried a particular weight BBC Sport.
Trent Rockets, who had topped the table and marched straight into the final, posted 158-8 from their 100 balls. The Hundred gives each side 100 deliveries per innings — 50 fewer than a T20 — so every ball carries an inflated price tag. Aneurin Donald's 38 off 19 balls gave the Rockets early momentum, with Ben Duckett (31), Lewis Gregory (32) and Mitch Santner (20) chipping in. Captain Sam Billings managed only seven before being run out, a dismissal that stalled the middle of the innings BBC Sport.
Manchester's bowlers kept the target within reach. Mohammad Amir took 3-29 with the new ball, and the Afghan wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad claimed 3-33 — including dismissing the dangerous Tim David first ball. In a 100-ball chase, a wicket not only removes a batter but burns a delivery with no run scored, so a golden duck compounds quickly.
The chase belonged to Tim Seifert. The New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter smashed 72 off 38 balls, clearing the rope seven times and finding it four more, to dismantle the Rockets' attack. He and Paul Walter, who opened alongside him, added 66 off 31 balls for the first wicket — a stand that put Manchester well ahead of the asking rate before the middle order wobbled. Jos Buttler contributed a brisk 23 off 14, his three sixes keeping the chase humming after Seifert's departure BBC Sport.
With two balls left and five wickets in hand, Liam Dawson swung over mid-wicket for six to seal 162-5. A crowd of 27,416 at Lord's — the iconic London ground that has hosted cricket's biggest occasions since 1814 — rose to greet the winning runs BBC Sport.
For Manchester, the victory also buries a renaming curiosity. The franchise was known as Manchester Originals until the 2026 season, when it became the Super Giants, based at Old Trafford. The trophy is the same colour regardless of the name on it. Trent Rockets, meanwhile, fell short of a historic double — their women's side had also reached the final, but no franchise has yet won both the men's and women's Hundred in the same edition BBC Sport.
For the Rockets, who had been the tournament's most consistent side across the group stage, the final was a reminder that league-table dominance guarantees nothing once the knockout pressure bites. Their 2022 title remains their sole men's Hundred crown.
