Jos Buttler showed his class as his unbeaten half century led Manchester Originals to an emphatic win over Northern Superchargers by 57 runs. Jos Buttler looked in total control of proceedings at Old Trafford in his unbeaten 64 off 45 balls. He was ably supported by Rachin Ravindra initially who made 31 off 14 balls and then by Heinrich Klaasen who made an unbeaten 50 off 25 balls as Manchester Originals amassed 171/3 in 100 balls.
While defending the score, Manchester Originals rode on Josh Tongue’s 3-wicket haul and Sonny Baker’s hat-trick to bowl Northern Superchargers for 114 in 87 balls. Rachin Ravindra and Noor Ahmad also chipped in with 2 wickets apiece as for Northern no one got going apart from David Miller’s 38. It was an important win for Manchester as they climbed upwards in the points table.
Jos Buttler & Heinrich Klaasen power Manchester Originals to 171/3
Winning the toss and deciding to bat first, captain Philip Salt opened the batting with Ben McKinney while Daniel Lawrence had ball in hand for Northern Superchargers. Salt made his intentions clear as he smashed consecutive boundaries off Lawrence to get things going. Jacob Duffy was introduced into the attack next as Ben McKinney got into the act by hitting a boundary and also launching a maximum off Duffy. Matthew Potts came onto bowl next and got rid of Salt for 9 off 5 balls with 2 fours to his name.
Potts bowled a short of a length ball outside off-stump from over the wicket, Salt looked to cut it square but he ended up dragging it onto the stumps. Jos Buttler came out to bat next and got off the mark with a maximum in glorious fashion. Buttler looked to be in his zone as he launched Duffy over deep midwicket for the maximum. Potts came to bowl the final set before powerplay as Buttler hit him for a boundary as well.
Manchester Originals after 25 balls of powerplay were 39/1. Mitchell Santner came into the attack post the powerplay. Santner struck straightaway getting rid of Ben McKinney for 11 off 11 balls with one boundary and a maximum to his name. Santner bowled it full, quick and fired into the stumps. McKinney wanted to flick it through midwicket but me missed it and got stuck on the pads. Big appeal and the finger went up in a flash. Rachin Ravindra came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway.
Adil Rashid came onto bowl next and as always bowled a tidy set. Tom Lawes was introduced into the attack as Buttler welcomed him with a boundary. Ravindra got into the act and got his first boundary away off Lawes. Rashid was then taken to the cleaners as Buttler first hit him for a boundary before going off strike. Then Ravindra got into the act and hit him for consecutive boundaries in the set. Daniel Lawrence came back to bowl as Buttler launched him for a maximum while Ravindra also hit him for a boundary.
After 50 balls at the halfway stage of the innings, Manchester Originals were 80/2. Mitchell Santner came back into the attack and bowled a decent set. Buttler then greeted Duffy back by hitting him for a boundary. Rachin Ravindra hit a returning Matthew Potts for consecutive boundaries as the 100 came up for Manchester Originals in 63 balls. But Potts hit back getting rid of Ravindra for 31 off 14 balls with 6 fours to his name.
Potts bowled a full ball angling away, Ravindra looked to flick but played all around it as the ball went onto knock back the off-stump. Heinrich Klaasen came out to bat next. Buttler soon got to his half-century off 38 balls with a brace off Santner. Buttler managed to get a boundary away off Rashid as Manchester Originals reached 112/3 in 75 balls. Tom Lawes bowled a decent set as he tried to keep things tight.
Jacob Duffy came back into the attack and was launched with disdain by Buttler over deep square leg for the maximum. Klaasen then got into the act as he hit Santner for a boundary before launching him over deep midwicket for the maximum. Klaasen was in the groove as he tore Adil Rashid apart hitting him for consecutive sixes as the 50-run stand came up between Buttler and Klaasen.
Matthew Potts came to bowl the final over as Klaasen was unstoppable hitting the bowler for a boundary followed by a maximum and then followed it up with two more boundaries in the last 3 balls as 18 runs came off the final set. Buttler remained unbeaten on 64 off 45 balls with 5 fours and 4 sixes to his name while Klaasen remained unbeaten on 50 off 25 balls with 4 fours and 4 sixes to his name. 6 extras given by the fielding side as Originals finished with 171/3 in 100 balls.
Matthew Potts picked up 2/39 in 20 balls while Mitchell Santner bowled well for his 1/24 in 20 balls. The rest of the bowlers went for runs and remained wicketless with even Adil Rashid going for 37 in 20 balls. This meant Northern Superchargers needed 172 runs off 100 balls to go top of the points table.
Josh Tongue’s 3-wicket haul & Sonny Baker’s hat-trick skittles Superchargers out for 114
Chasing 172 for the win, Zak Crawley and Dawid Malan came out to open the batting for Northern Superchargers while Sonny Baker had ball in hand for Manchester Originals. Crawley made his intentions clear as he got off the mark with a boundary and hit another boundary off Baker to end the set. Josh Tongue was given the ball from the other end and Crawley took him on by hitting him for a maximum over deep midwicket. Tongue hit back as he got rid of Crawley for 16 off 9 balls with 2 fours and a maximum to his name.
Tongue bowled a length delivery with width given, Crawley slashed it uppishly to backward point where Matthew Hurst took a good catch. Michael Pepper came out to bat next. Malan got into the act as he hit Baker for consecutive boundaries. Tongue got his second wicket as he removed Pepper for a 4th ball duck. Tongue banged it shorter and hurried into the batter, Pepper wanted to fight fire with fire and went for the upper cut and could only end up parrying it to Buttler who took it easily. Captain Harry Brook came out to bat next.
Lewis Gregory came in to bowl the final set of powerplay and was greeted with consecutive boundaries from Brook. After 25 balls of powerplay, Northern Superchargers were 38/2. Rachin Ravindra came into the attack post the powerplay and got rid of the captain Harry Brook for 11 off 9 balls with 2 boundaries to his name. Ravindra bowled a fuller length outside off, Brook went for another premeditated shot by planting a long stride across before crouching and unleashing the big sweep only to get a top edge. Hurst stationed at the square leg boundary did not have to move much to take the catch. Daniel Lawrence came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway.
Noor Ahmad came into the attack and got rid of Daniel Lawrence for 1 off 2 balls immediately. Fuller length on the leg stump line, Lawrence looked to play the reverse sweep but he missed it. Big appeal from the bowler and the umpire gave it OUT. Lawrence reviewed it and the ball clipped the leg stump as umpire’s call saved the review but could not save Lawrence. David Miller came out to bat next. Miller managed to get a boundary away off Noor to get off the mark. Malan also hit Noor for another boundary.
Scott Currie came into the attack and bowled a tidy set. Baker came back into the attack and got rid of David Malan for 19 off 14 balls with 3 fours to his name. Baker bowled a back of a length delivery with pace off the ball, Malan looked to pull but he missed it as the stumps were clattered. Mitchell Santner came out to bat next as after 50 balls, Northern Superchargers were 63/5.
Miller then took on Scott Currie hitting him for consecutive boundaries and launched a maximum as well. Miller looked set in the middle. Noor bowled a very tight set hardly giving anything away. Lewis Gregory was back as Miller pulled him away over backward square leg for the maximum. Rachin did very well to time his jump to perfection and save 5 runs for his side as Miller almost hit another maximum over long-off. Josh Tongue came back into the attack and got rid of David Miller for 38 off 22 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes to his name.
Tongue bowled it slower fuller side of good length at the stumps, Miller stayed rooted to his original stance and had a wild swipe that connected with nothing as the ball clattered into the stumps. Tom Lawes came out to bat next and got off the mark as well. Rachin Ravindra came back into the attack as the 100 came up for Northern Superchargers in 72 balls. Santner hit Ravindra for a maximum off the free hit but the youngster had the last laugh over the veteran as Santner was dismissed for 12 off 13 balls with a maximum to his name.
Ravindra bowled it full and wide of off-stump, Santner slapped it straight down the throat of Scott Currie at long-off. Matthew Potts came out to bat next as Manchester Originals were 106/7 after 78 balls as they further needed 67 off 25 balls. Noor Ahmad came back and removed Matthew Potts for 1 off 2 balls. Noor bowled a good length ball that skidded onto crash into the off pole. Potts sat down on a knee and tried to swish it leg side but connected with nothing but air. Adil Rashid came out to bat next and got off the mark.
Tongue bowled a decent set and completed his spell. Sonny Baker came back into the attack and struck again getting rid of Tom Lawes for 4 off 6 balls. Baker bowled a pace-off delivery at the stumps from over the wicket and on a good length, Lawes opened up and tried to give it a whack and found Gregory at deep midwicket who made no mistake. Jacob Duffy came out to bat next.
Duffy went first ball as Baker finished with a hat-trick as he picked a wicket off the last ball of previous set and now took two in two balls. Baker bowled a searing Yorker that was too good for Duffy who stayed leg side of it and plunged his bat down but to no avail as the ball clattered into the middle and off-stump. Northern Superchargers were bowled out for 114 in 87 balls Adil Rashid remaining unbeaten on 5 off 6 balls. 7 extras given by the fielding side.
Sonny Baker was the pick of the bowlers as he finished with 3/21 in 17 balls including a hat-trick to his name. Josh Tongue supported him well and got the top order wickets as he finished with 3/21 in 20 balls. Rachin Ravindra bowled well for his 2/13 in 10 balls while Noor Ahmad bowled well for his 2/17 in 20 balls. Lewis Gregory gave away 19 runs in 10 balls while Scott Currie gave away 22 runs in 10 balls.
So, Manchester Originals won by 57 runs as Jos Buttler was awarded the Player of the Match for his solid innings under pressure. Manchester Originals have climbed higher to 5th place with 2 wins in 3 games having 8 points while Northern Superchargers slipped to 3rd place with 12 points from 5 games with 3 wins and 2 losses.
What Lies Ahead
The bandwagon moves to Southampton for today’s Hundred 2025 fixture as Southern Brave hosts the defending champions Oval Invincibles at 11PM IST. Brave are in 4th place while Oval is right at the top of the points table and with a healthy Net Run Rate as well.
We are already into the second half of the season and each game will be important as the teams are jostling for positions in the points table as there will be lots of movers and shakers which will make this tournament more exciting going ahead.