New Zealand batter Tim Seifert produced a stunning display of power as Manchester Super Giants chased down 159 against Trent Rockets to win the men’s Hundred title by five wickets at Lord’s on Sunday.
Seifert’s blistering 72 off just 38 balls laid the foundation for Manchester’s successful chase. Liam Dawson then held his nerve in a tense finish to seal the franchise’s maiden Hundred title.
Dawson Seals Tense Finish
The Super Giants needed only three runs from the final nine balls.
However, Mohammad Amir dismissed Heinrich Klaasen and Michael Bracewell in successive deliveries. The wickets gave the Rockets a late opening.
Ben Sanderson then bowled two consecutive dot balls. That reduced the equation to three runs from three deliveries.
Dawson, however, ended the contest emphatically. He cleared the mid-wicket boundary for six and completed the chase with two balls to spare.
Seifert Powers Manchester’s Chase
Earlier, Seifert took the game away from Trent Rockets with a remarkable counter-attacking innings.
The right-hander smashed seven sixes and four fours during his 72-run knock. His innings put Manchester firmly in control of the chase.
Rockets had a chance to remove Seifert when he reached 33. However, Finn Allen’s spectacular effort on the boundary did not count.
Allen’s foot touched the boundary rope before he attempted to complete the catch.
Seifert went on to equal Will Jacks’ record for the highest individual score in a men’s Hundred final.
His performance also capped an excellent campaign. He finished as the competition’s second-highest run-scorer behind Mitchell Marsh.
Seifert accumulated 394 runs at an average just under 50.
Manchester End Long Wait for Title
For Manchester Super Giants, the triumph ended a long wait for their first men’s Hundred title.
The Old Trafford-based franchise, formerly known as Manchester Originals, had lost two previous men’s finals.
One of those defeats came against Trent Rockets in 2022.
The Rockets, meanwhile, missed the chance to become the first franchise to win both the men’s and women’s Hundred titles in the same season.
They had topped the men’s table and earned a direct route into the final after their final group-stage fixture on Monday.
However, Manchester Super Giants ultimately denied them with a superb chase.
