Key breakthroughs at the death from Mohammad Amir saw Trent Rockets deservedly keep their spot at the top of The Hundred table after a five-run over SunRisers Leeds and treat the home crowd to a double set of wins at Trent Bridge.
After electing to bat first, the Rockets got off to a flyer thanks to Aneurin Donald who came into the side for his first match of the tournament. From No.3, he smashed three sixes in a 19-ball knock of 40, forcing an in-form Ben Duckett to play second fiddle temporarily.
Following Donald’s departure, Duckett took over. He reached a third half-century of the campaign from 35 balls, overtaking Phil Salt to become The Hundred men’s competition’s leading run-scorer in the process.
He reached a stand of 50 with Tim David from 35 balls before falling to Nathan Ellis for 64 from 47, bowled failing to connect with a scoop for the second time in as many innings.
David had laboured to 17 from 20 balls, but finished the innings positively, clearing the ropes off Matt Potts as the Rockets ended on 146-4.
Mitchell Marsh looked in imperious form as SunRisers began their chase. He was joined by Zak Crawley and together the right-handers took the SunRisers to 32-1 at the end of the powerplay.
Crawley accelerated against the spin of Calvin Harrison and Mitchell Santner, but was undone by the guile of the Kiwi, bowled for 26.
Harry Brook came to the crease and looked in a hurry as usual. He had raced to 24 from 14 balls when he was given a life behind the stumps by Sam Billings. He and Marsh both slowed after fast starts and had taken the equation down to 30 required from 16 balls when Brook was excellently caught by Duckett off Amir at extra-cover for 46.
Amir then nicked-off Marsh for 41, brilliantly held by Billings, to leave 25 required off 10. Matt Henry conceded nine from the penultimate five, leaving Gregory to successfully defend the 16 required by the SunRisers.
A win for SunRisers would have taken them level on points with the Rockets and the Welsh Fire at the top of the table, but with eight points from four matches, they are very much still in the mix to reach the knockout stages.
Duckett, the Meerkat Match Hero, said: “Aneurin played extremely well in the powerplay, took a lot of pressure off me and got us off to a great start. Delighted with that win, it was a fantastic team effort.”
On his approach to his innings he said: “It was sweeping today. I was struggling to play straight and knew there would be spin in the middle. I was trying to trust my game that I would be able to catch up. On another day, that doesn’t happen, but thankfully today it did.”
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