Tim Seifert cracked 67 off 45 balls to get the 2026 men's Hundred underway, anchoring Manchester Super Giants to 138 for their opening fixture against London Spirit at Lord's.

The match, played on 23 July 2026, was the third fixture of this year's men's competition and the first to feature these two sides (Cricbuzz). Lord's — cricket's most famous ground, in St John's Wood, north-west London — hosted the occasion (ECB).

For anyone new to The Hundred: each team faces 100 balls rather than a set number of overs, with every over comprising five deliveries from one end before the bowler switches. It is designed to be fast, loud and finished inside two-and-a-half hours.

Seifert, the New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter, made the format's brevity suit him perfectly. His 45-ball innings included nine boundaries — a mix of clean drives and sharp placements that kept the London Spirit fielders chasing to the rope throughout (BBC Sport).

Nine boundaries from 45 balls means roughly one scoring shot to the fence every five deliveries. In a 100-ball innings, that tempo builds pressure on the bowling side in a hurry, because there is no room to absorb a quiet spell.

Manchester Super Giants posted 138, setting London Spirit a target of 139 to win (BBC Sport).

What makes Seifert's knock notable is how it set the tone for the new season. Opening the competition with a fluent, aggressive innings at Lord's gives the Super Giants an early statement of intent — and gives fans a highlight worth replaying. The Hundred thrives on exactly these moments: short enough to hold a casual viewer's attention, sharp enough to reward every shot.

The Hundred is now in its sixth season. Born in 2021 as the England and Wales Cricket Board's attempt to pull new audiences into the game, it has divided opinion among traditionalists while drawing strong crowds and broadcast numbers each summer. The 2026 edition opened with Seifert providing precisely the kind of innings the format was built to showcase.

For London Spirit, chasing 139 at Lord's — their home ground — the equation is straightforward but unforgiving. In 100 balls, there is little margin for a slow start.