LONDON — England batter Jamie Smith's composed half-century guided London Spirit to a comfortable victory over previously unbeaten Trent Rockets in The Hundred men's competition, marking the Rockets' first defeat of the season. The 23-year-old's 56 off 35 balls anchored Spirit's chase of 154, securing a six-wicket win with seven balls to spare at Lord's.
Smith, who recently earned his England Test debut against West Indies, showcased his adaptability to the shortest format with a mature innings. His partnership of 72 with Daniel Lawrence (42 off 26) proved decisive after Spirit lost early wickets. "I just tried to play the situation," Smith said post-match. "The pitch wasn't easy early on, so we needed to build before accelerating."
Rockets' batting stutters after strong start
Trent Rockets appeared set for a bigger total when openers Alex Hales (31 off 19) and Dawid Malan (28 off 22) put on 59 in 35 balls. However, Spirit's bowlers fought back through Nathan Ellis (2-28) and Liam Dawson (2-23), restricting Rockets to 153/7. Key moments included:
- Ellis dismissing both set openers in quick succession
- Dawson's economical spell through the middle overs
- Sam Cook's 3/22, including the crucial wicket of Rockets captain Lewis Gregory
Smith's innings proves the difference
Coming in at 24/2 after Zak Crawley and Adam Rossington fell early, Smith rebuilt the innings with measured aggression. His knock featured:
- 5 fours and 2 sixes, including a lofted drive over extra cover off Samit Patel
- A 78% control percentage according to CricViz, highest in the match
- Clever manipulation of the field with 12 runs scored behind square
Spirit captain Dan Lawrence praised Smith's composure: "That's why we pushed hard to get him in our squad. He's got all the shots but plays smart cricket - knows when to absorb pressure and when to attack. That innings was a masterclass in chasing."
Turning point: The 13th over
With Spirit needing 58 from 38 balls, Rockets brought back their premier bowler Luke Wood. Smith smashed 18 runs off the over, including:
- A six over long-on off a 90mph delivery
- Two perfectly placed boundaries through backward point
- A clever ramp shot for four over short third
Rockets' Gregory admitted this shifted momentum: "We backed Woody to get us back in the game there, but Jamie played an exceptional over. That's the difference - one player standing up in the crunch moments."
What this means for the standings
The result shakes up the competition table significantly:
- Spirit jump to third with 3 wins from 5 games
- Rockets remain top but now only 2 points clear
- Net Run Rate becomes crucial with 3 teams on 6 points
Looking ahead
Both teams face quick turnarounds in this condensed tournament:
- Rockets host Manchester Originals on Friday, needing to rebound quickly
- Spirit travel to Birmingham Phoenix on Saturday
- Smith's form puts him in contention for England's T20 World Cup squad
As The Hundred reaches its midway point, this match demonstrated the fine margins in franchise cricket. "One performance can change everything," reflected Smith. "We've shown we can beat anyone when we play our brand of cricket."