The Hundred men’s competition, Old Trafford
Sunrisers Leeds 127 (100 balls): Marsh 32 (23); Atkinson 3-30
Manchester Super Giants 128-0 (67 balls): Seifert 80* (40), Walter 44* (28)
Manchester Super Giants won by 10 wickets
Manchester Super Giants gave themselves a huge chance of qualifying for the knockout stages of The Hundred with a 10-wicket win over Sunrisers Leeds – denying their opponents an automatic place in the final in the process.
Set a modest 128 for victory, Super Giants romped to the total as Tim Seifert hammered an unbeaten 80 off 40 balls to secure victory with 33 balls to spare.
The result confirmed Trent Rockets’ place at the top of the standings on 24 points and they go directly into Sunday’s final at Lord’s.
Super Giants, who managed to boost their net run-rate to 0.791 because of their margin of victory, look set to join them, having moved above Sunrisers (0.603) into second.
Both teams in action on Tuesday can, in theory, can still be caught by Welsh Fire and MI London, who both play on Wednesday, but the latter two would have to win by substantial margins to increase their net run-rate totals of −1.001 and 0.262.
The teams finishing second and third play in the Eliminator at The Oval on Friday.
Despite the thrilling manner of Super Giants’ chase, the principal factor behind this victory was a disciplined bowling and fielding performance after they asked Sunrisers to bat first on a batter-friendly surface at Old Trafford.
It looked a strange call when Mitch Marsh, the tournament’s leading scorer, and Ryan Rickelton put on 42 in 22 balls for the first wicket.
But Noor Ahmad had Marsh caught for 32 at extra cover as he failed to convert his score into a match-defining one in what became a familiar pattern for Sunrisers as their middle order subsided.
Gus Atkinson snared the best figures for Super Giants with 3-30, but Sonny Baker struck at crucial moments to remove Zak Crawley (31) and Harry Brook (10).
The Sunrisers were eventually dismissed for 127 – their lowest total in this year’s edition of The Hundred – with nine of their wickets out caught.
Super Giants then breezed to the target under the floodlights as Seifert and Paul Walter dismantled the Sunrisers attack with some explosive hitting.
The Kiwi smashed five fours and seven sixes as and Walter, once again opening having been handed the role in Super Giants’ win over Southern Brave, produced some destructive strokeplay.
Sunrisers had a glimmer when Seifert skied Abrar Ahmed on 57 but Crawley dropped a tough chance and the belief ebbed out of the visitors.
Any lingering hope disappeared entirely a couple of balls later when Walter – who made 44 not out off 28 balls – twice hammered Abrar for six down the ground.
It then became a matter of how much Super Giants could boost their net run-rate and, needing to win with at least 25 balls to spare to leapfrog the Sunrisers, they duly completed the job with ease.