Jamie Smith came to the party by scoring an impressive half-century as he helped London Spirit post a competitive total which was later defended by the bowlers. Jamie Smith opened the batting and the move paid dividends as he scored an impressive half-century ably supported by Kane Williamson’s 45 and others around him helped London Spirit post 162/5 in 100 balls at Lord’s.
In reply, Trent Rockets tried to fight through Tom Banton’s 46, Joe Root’s 27 and Marcus Stoinis’ 35* but it was not enough as Spirit won by 21 runs. Daniel Worrall and Richard Gleeson picked up 2 wickets apiece while Liam Dawson and Jamie Overton had a wicket each to their name. An important win for London Spirit and Trent Rockets’ unbeaten run is over.
Jamie Smith’s 52 powers London Spirit to 162/5
Put into bat first, London Spirit had a new opening pair as Jamie Smith came out to bat with David Warner while David Willey had ball in hand for Trent Rockets. Smith made his intentions clear as he smashed Willey over long-on for the maximum to get off the mark. He hit another maximum in the same set launching Willey over deep midwicket this time. Samuel James Cook came to bowl the next set and Warner got his first boundary through mid-off.
Akeal Hosein came to bowl inside the powerplay and delivered a quiet set. Lockie Ferguson came onto bowl next and was greeted with a boundary from Smith. But Ferguson hit back getting rid of David Warner for 6 off 5 balls with a boundary to his name. Ferguson bowled a length delivery outside off, Warner checked his drive as the ball flew towards point where Marcus Stoinis grabbed a simple catch. Captain Kane Williamson came out to bat at 3 and got off the mark straightaway.
Williamson got his first boundary away by hitting Hosein for a boundary through cover point. Jamie Smith was then dropped at deep midwicket by Adam Hose off Hosein as the batter got a reprieve. After 25 balls of powerplay, London Spirit were 37/1. Sam Cook came back after the powerplay as Williamson got into the act hitting him for consecutive boundaries. Marcus Stoinis came into the attack as London Spirit brought up their 50 in 33 balls. Kane Williamson managed to get a boundary away off Stoinis as the skipper looked in the groove.
Rehan Ahmed came into the attack next and was smashed for a maximum by Jamie Smith as Lockie Ferguson palmed it over for a maximum at long-on. Williamson was next given a reprieve as keeper batter Tom Alsop put a diving catch down off Ferguson. Williamson got another reprieve few balls later as Rockets were sloppy on the field. Williamson launched Stoinis for a maximum over deep midwicket and also hit a boundary over the gully region as the 50-run stand came up between Smith and Williamson. After 50 balls at the halfway stage of the innings, London Spirit were 82/1.
Rehan Ahmed bowled a miserly set. Williamson was once again put down by Hose at deep cover as Willey was the unlucky bowler. Smith then smashed Willey for the maximum over backward square leg. Soon, Smith reached his half-century off 32 balls as he smashed a boundary down the ground off Sam Cook. The 100 also came up for Spirit in 62 balls. But Cook hit back getting rid of Jamie Smith for 52 off 34 balls with 2 fours and 4 sixes to his name.
Cook bowled it short and outside off, Smith hopped and looked to slap it over covers but got hit high on the bat. The ball shot up to extra cover with Joe Root backtracking to take a good catch. Ashton Turner came out to bat next. Stoinis bowled a miserly set. Williamson then hit Hosein for a boundary by playing the reverse sweep. After 75 balls, London Spirit were 112/2. Rehan Ahmed came back into the attack and got rid of Kane Williamson for 45 off 32 balls with six fours and a maximum to his name as his luck finally ran out.
Rehan bowled from over the wicket a googly on a good length on the middle stump, Williamson stepped down the track and swung across the line looking to slog over midwicket but he wasn’t to the pitch of the ball and is undone by the length. The ball went past the edge and Tom Alsop removed the bails in a flash. Ollie Pope came out to bat next and got off the mark with a boundary.
Lockie Ferguson was back into the attack and Turner hit him for a boundary. Turner hammered Ferguson once again for a boundary to wide long-on. Ollie Pope climbed into Samuel James Cook and hit him for consecutive boundaries to give the momentum to the batting side. Turner then took on Ferguson and hit him for 3 boundaries in 5 balls as the home team raced past 150 in no time. Stoinis finally ended Turner’s stay at the crease getting him dismissed for 30 off 16 balls with 5 boundaries to his name.
Stoinis bowled from over the wicket fuller length following Turner on the leg stump line, Turner closed his bat face a little bit early on the flick and got a leading edge which flew over cover. Rehan ran backwards from extra cover ring and kept his eyes on the ball looking above his right shoulder and stretched himself to take the catch with a big dive. Jamie Overton came out to the middle next and got off the mark with a brace. Stoinis dismissed Jamie Overton off the final ball of the innings for 4 off 4 balls.
Stoinis bowled it short and outside off, Overton stood tall and clobbered it across the line. He had to reach for the ball and hence smashed it off the toe end flat towards deep midwicket with Max Holden charging in and diving forward to take a blinder just above the ground. TV umpire checked the replays twice and confirmed that it was OUT. Pope remained unbeaten on 17 off 9 balls with 3 fours to his name. 8 extras given by the fielding side as London Spirit ended with 162/5 in 100 balls.
Marcus Stoinis picked up 2/27 in 20 balls. Samuel James Cook went for 36 runs in 20 balls and picked up one wicket. Lockie Ferguson finished with 1/38 in 20 balls while Rehan Ahmed chipped in with 1/20 in 15 balls. David Willey’s 10 balls went for 22 runs while Akeal Hosein’s 15 balls went for 19 runs. It meant Trent Rockets needed 163 runs to win off 100 balls to keep their unbeaten run this season alive.
All-Round Bowling Display Restricts Trent Rockets to 141/6
Chasing 163 for the win, Tom Banton and Joe Root walked out to bat for Trent Rockets while Luke Wood had ball in hand for London Spirit. Wood bowled a miserly opening set as Daniel Worrall was introduced into the attack. Worrall bowled a tidy set as well. He continued for another set as Banton broke the shackles by hitting the first boundary of the innings straight down the ground. Joe Root got into the act as he hit Worrall away through the point region for his first boundary.
Root was now in the zone as he smashed Luke Wood for consecutive boundaries. Richard Gleeson came into the attack to bowl the final set of powerplay as Tom Banton smashed him for two boundaries in 5 balls off Gleeson. Banton got a reprieve as Pope put down a tough catch off Gleeson. At the end of powerplay of 25 balls, Trent Rockets were 38/0.
Liam Dawson came into the attack post powerplay and was hit for a boundary by Tom Banton. Jamie Overton was introduced into the attack and bowled a decent set as the 50 came up for Trent Rockets and off the partnership off 35 balls. Banton hit Worrall over long-off for the maximum. Dawson bowled another miserly set. Gleeson also kept things under check as Trent Rockets after 50 balls were 69/0 at the halfway stage of the chase.
Overton came back into the attack and was greeted with a boundary from Banton. But Overton hit back getting rid of Banton for 46 off 31 balls with 5 fours and a six to his name. Overton bowled a length delivery angling in following the batter as Banton poked at it late and the ball crashed into his off-stump. David Willey came out to bat at 3 and got off the mark straightaway.
Daniel Worrall came back into the attack as Willey smashed him for a boundary followed by a maximum. But Worrall hit back getting rid of Willey for 11 off 5 balls with one four and one six to his name. Worrall bowled a good length delivery across off-stump, Willey went for the big heave but miscued it high in the air as the keeper came across to square leg to take a comfortable catch as Jamie Smith takes it. Rehan Ahmed came to the middle and was dismissed for a silver duck by Worrall as he was on a roll in this game.
Worrall bowled a length delivery on the stumps, Rehan played down the wrong line and saw the ball crash onto the stumps. Marcus Stoinis came out to bat next. Dawson got into the act getting rid of Joe Root for 27 off 24 balls with 3 boundaries to his name. Dawson bowled a length delivery on the stumps, Root miscued his sweep over fine leg and it lobbed up to land in Worrall’s hands at short fine leg for a simple catch. Tom Alsop came out to bat next.
Overton then hit a nasty bouncer to Alsop that hit his helmet and then went to smash his nose as well. He was shaken and blood came from the noes as he was taken off the field retired hurt. Max Holden came and replaced him to get off the mark. Holden managed to get a boundary away off Wood over backward point. After 75 balls, Trent Rockets were 97/4 requiring 66 runs off 25 balls. Jamie Overton bowled a decent set.
Richard Gleeson came back into the attack as the 100 came up for Rockets in 81 balls while Stoinis launched Gleeson for the maximum. Gleeson hit back getting rid of Holden for 7 off 7 balls with a boundary to his name. Gleeson bowled a good length delivery on the stumps with pace off the ball, Holden backed away to drive but was beaten by the change in pace as the ball crashed into the stumps. Adam Hose came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway.
Luke Wood came back into the attack and Hose took up the challenge smashing Wood for the maximum over deep midwicket. Rockets now needed 46 off 10 balls. Stoinis then hit Gleeson for the maximum but the bowler hit back getting rid of Hose for 9 off 5 balls with a maximum to his name. Gleeson bowled a length delivery on the stumps with pace off the ball, Hose went for the slog sweep and got hit on the gloves as the ball lobbed up to go to Smith behind the stumps. Akeal Hosein came out to bat next and got off the mark as well.
Rockets needed 37 off 5 balls to win the game which was impossible. Stoinis decided to reduce the victory margin as he smashed Liam Dawson for the maximum. Stoinis smashed two more maximums in the same set but it did not matter as Rockets finished with 141/6 in 100 balls with Stoinis unbeaten on 35 off 22 balls laced with 4 sixes while Hosein remained unbeaten on 1 off 1 ball. 5 extras given by the fielding side.
For London Spirit, Daniel Worrall picked up 2/32 in 20 balls while Richard Gleeson picked up 2/36 in 20 balls. Liam Dawson finished with 1/30 in 20 balls while Jamie Overton bowled well for his 1/15 in 20 balls. Luke Wood bowled well and finished with 0/28 in 20 balls. So, London Spirit won by 21 runs and Jamie Smith for great batting and keeping was awarded the Player of the Match Award.
So, Trent Rockets have slipped to 3rd place with this defeat as they have also lost a game and their unbeaten run is over with 2 wins in 3 games. London Spirit have climbed to 5th in the table with 8 points from 4 games.
What Lies Ahead.
Today’s Hundred 2025 games takes us to Leeds in Headingley where Northern Superchargers will host Birmingham Phoenix at 11PM IST. Superchargers are in 4th place with 8 points from 3 games while Phoenix are in 7th place with 1 win from 3 games and they have catching up to do.
Hundred 2025 is heating up with every passing day as the tournament heads to the business end of the tournament. There will be a lot to play for soon as teams will be jostling for positions in the points table soon.
Also Read: Hundred 2025: Graham Clark’s Last Ball Six Helps Northern Superchargers Clinch A Thriller