Lord's hosted a men's Hundred final to remember on Saturday, as Manchester Super Giants held their nerve in a dramatic finish to beat Trent Rockets by five wickets, sealing a famous first franchise title. It was the kind of match that reminds you exactly why this format has found its audience — relentless, unpredictable, and settled with just two balls to spare.
Seifert Sets the Platform
If there was one player who made this chase possible, it was New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert. His 72 off just 38 deliveries was a masterclass in clean striking — seven sixes and four fours in an innings that tore the Rockets' plans apart from the very first over. Opening alongside Paul Walter, who had already caught the eye in the Eliminator, the pair rattled along at a frightening rate, putting on 66 runs from only 31 balls for the first wicket. At that point, a comfortable Super Giants win looked a near certainty.
It is worth noting that Trent Rockets did have a glorious opportunity to remove Seifert when he had made 33. Finn Allen produced an extraordinary relay catch near the boundary rope, only to be denied — his foot had made contact with the rope before he completed the take. Had that been given, this could have been an entirely different match. Those moments of fine margins are what define finals.
Rockets Fight Back with Amir's Brilliance
Just when the Super Giants appeared to be cruising, Mohammad Amir — who finished with three wickets for 29 — reminded everyone why experience matters in high-pressure cricket. He removed both Heinrich Klaasen and Michael Bracewell in rapid succession, and suddenly a target of just three runs from nine balls became considerably more fraught. Ben Sanderson added to the pressure with back-to-back dot balls, and the equation compressed to three needed from the final three deliveries. The 27,416 fans inside Lord's were on their feet.
Step forward Liam Dawson. With the match hanging in the balance, he cleared the mid-wicket boundary for a six — calmly, decisively, and with two balls still in hand. It was the sort of moment a lower-order batter dreams about, and Dawson delivered it with real composure.
Rockets' Total Falls Just Short
To give Trent Rockets credit, they had posted a competitive 158-8 from their 100 balls, albeit on a surface where the Super Giants' batting line-up always made that look slightly below par. Ben Duckett contributed a composed 31 to provide early stability, but the innings lost momentum when captain Sam Billings was run out for seven and Tim David departed first ball to Noor Ahmad, who claimed three wickets for 33. Aneurin Donald's blistering 38 off 19 balls kept the scoreboard ticking, and late cameos of 20 from Mitch Santner and 32 from Lewis Gregory pushed the Rockets into a respectable position — just not quite a winning one.
The result also denied Trent Rockets a slice of history. Having won the women's competition earlier in the tournament, they had the chance to become the first franchise to claim both trophies in the same edition. That particular record remains up for grabs in future years.
Super Giants Deserve Their Moment
From a betting perspective, Super Giants had drifted in the outright markets heading into finals weekend, with the Rockets — who topped the group stage — carrying strong favourite status. Those who spotted value in the Giants at longer odds will be well satisfied tonight. Jos Buttler's 23 off 14, including three sixes, briefly thrilled the crowd and underlined the depth of talent available to the Super Giants throughout their batting order.
As a former coach, what impresses me most is how Manchester Super Giants managed the chase as a collective. Yes, Seifert was exceptional, but Dawson's composure at the death and Walter's early aggression showed a team that genuinely believes in every contributor. That togetherness is what wins tournaments. The Super Giants are worthy champions, and The Hundred has once again delivered a final worthy of its biggest stage.
