The Trent Rockets women’s team has secured a place in The Hundred final after achieving their seventh consecutive victory against Southern Brave. Meanwhile, the Trent Rockets men’s team faces an anxious period to determine if they will automatically qualify for their final, following a six-wicket defeat to Southern Brave.
Rockets Women Secure Final Berth
The Trent Rockets women’s team successfully chased down a target of 118 runs to win, despite an early setback that saw them at 10-3, marking the lowest powerplay score in the competition’s history. England all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt played a crucial role, scoring 32 runs off 19 balls after coming in at number seven with the score at 66-5 and 31 deliveries remaining. Her performance helped the team clinch victory with two balls to spare.
Ash Gardner was the top-scorer for the Rockets women with 37 runs. For Southern Brave, their total of 117-5 was largely built by their top order, with Maia Bouchier contributing 38 runs, Lizelle Lee 31, and Laura Woolvaardt adding 24. Southern Brave women will have another opportunity to reach the final as they had already secured a spot in the eliminator, scheduled for Friday at The Kia Oval. Their opponent for the eliminator will be determined on Tuesday, either third-placed SunRisers Leeds or fourth-placed Manchester Super Giants, who are set to play each other in their final group match.
Sciver-Brunt commented on the victory, stating her satisfaction with being on the winning side and acknowledging the slow wicket and the opposition’s bowling performance in the first half of the match. She also mentioned that her batting position was a tactical decision and part of injury management, highlighting the team’s strong form and confidence.
Men’s Team Awaits Qualification Fate
The Trent Rockets men’s team suffered a six-wicket loss to Southern Brave, who were already eliminated from the competition. The Rockets were unable to defend their total of 158-7. Tristan Stubbs’ unbeaten half-century, scoring 52 runs off 28 balls, was instrumental in Southern Brave’s tense victory, which was sealed with three balls remaining. Stubbs hit four fours and three sixes, achieving a strike rate of 185.71, and secured the win by hitting a six over square leg off Lewis Gregory.
Stubbs and Marcus Stoinis formed a significant 70-run partnership for the fourth wicket during the chase. Stoinis contributed 46 runs off 25 balls, including four fours and three sixes, before being caught off a full toss from Ben Sanderson in the penultimate set. With eight runs needed off the final five balls, Stubbs and Nikhil Chaudhary guided Brave to victory.
Earlier in the match, the Rockets had posted what appeared to be a competitive total, with contributions from their top order. Mitchell Santner was the top-scorer for the Rockets with an unbeaten 35 runs off 23 balls. He shared an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 66 runs with Gregory, who scored 28 not out off 18 balls. The wickets were distributed among five bowlers for Southern Brave, with captain Chris Jordan dismissing Finn Allen for 23 runs with a yorker. The match also saw a challenging outing for 17-year-old bowler Manny Lumsden, whose first set conceded 19 runs.
The Rockets now face a nervous wait to see if they will automatically qualify for the final. Sunrisers Leeds, currently trailing the Rockets by four points, could overtake them for the top spot if they defeat Manchester Super Giants at Old Trafford on Tuesday. If both teams finish level on 24 points, net run-rate will determine their positions, with Sunrisers (1.094) currently having a better run-rate than the Rockets (0.740).
Tuesday’s Decisive Matches
Tuesday’s matches at Old Trafford hold significant implications for qualification. In the women’s match at 15:00 BST, the winner will secure a spot in the eliminator against Southern Brave; a tie or no result would see the Super Giants advance. The men’s match at 18:30 will see Sunrisers Leeds aiming for automatic final qualification by defeating the Super Giants with a sufficient margin to achieve a superior net run-rate. The Super Giants also need a victory to maintain their own hopes of reaching the eliminator.
Fans can follow ball-by-ball commentary for these matches.
Source: bbc.co.uk
Adam Rutherford is a Senior Football Correspondent at News-UK. He spent his early career filing match reports across the North West. He focuses on the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from Manchester Metropolitan University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in Manchester, he coaches a youth team and watches grassroots football. “Every transfer window hides a dozen real stories.”
