Manchester Super Giants Clinch Historic Maiden Men’s Hundred Title

After losing the 2022 final to Trent Rockets and the 2023 final to Oval Invincibles, Manchester Super Giants finally got their hands on the trophy.
Manchester Super Giants beat Trent Rockets by 5 wickets at Lord’s to win their first title in The Hundred. Tim Seifert played the key role in the victory, smashing 72 from 38 balls to put the chase firmly in their control.

Trent Rockets Set a Competitive Target

The Manchester Super Giants won the toss and chose to bowl first. After being asked to bat by MSG, Finn Allen and Ben Duckett put together a 48-run opening partnership against Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue and Sonny Baker.

Jos Buttler then brought Afghanistan spinner Noor Ahmad into the attack, and he changed the game by dismissing both openers within four balls. Aneurin Donald responded immediately, scoring 17 from his first six balls against Ahmad before making 38 from 19 deliveries.

The Rockets then slipped to 97-5, but Lewis Gregory and Mitchell Santner helped them recover during the final overs. Gregory hit Liam Dawson and Atkinson for back-to-back sixes, while the Rockets added 61 runs from the last 30 balls to reach 158-8. It was a strong total considering the venue’s par score of 141 this season.

Seifert Leads MSG’s Chase

MSG started the chase at a quick pace, with Seifert taking 14 runs from Mohammad Amir’s first five balls. He and Paul Walter then added 61 from only 31 deliveries. Seifert reached his fifty in just 23 balls before ending with 72 from 38, including seven sixes. His performance also earned him the Tournament MVP award after he finished with the second-highest run tally of 394.

While the New Zealander kept the scoreboard moving, Buttler added a quick 23 from 14 balls with three sixes, while Leus du Plooy remained unbeaten on 27 from 18 deliveries with four boundaries. Seifert was dismissed with MSG needing 23 from 22 balls, and a few late wickets gave the Rockets hope until the final set.

Heinrich Klaasen was caught by Donald in a spectacular effort, while Michael Bracewell was dismissed for a second-ball duck. With the match going into the final five balls, Liam Dawson held his nerve and cleared mid-wicket off Ben Sanderson for the six that sealed the title with two balls remaining.

Manchester Super Giants finally broke their curse, lifting their first-ever Men’s Hundred trophy after a thrilling chase at Lord’s.

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