Nicholas Pooran smashed 66 from just 33 balls, including eight sixes, to inspire a memorable comeback victory for Northern Superchargers in The Hundred. But it was a suspected hamstring injury to England men’s Test captain Ben Stokes that brought his arrival to the crease. Nicholas Pooran powered Northern Superchargers to third in the points table with a late blitz that stunned the Manchester Originals. Pooran smashed an unbeaten 66 off just 33 balls including eight sixes in a come-form-behind win for the Superchargers.
Ben Stokes is now a doubt for the series with Sri Lanka which begins on August 21 in Manchester. He will have scans on Monday to determine the extent of the damage.
Pitch and Toss
The playing surface at Old Trafford in Manchester initially offered considerable assistance to seamers in the ongoing Men’s The Hundred 2024 season. However, the pitch seems to have eased out for the batters as evidenced by the previous two games hosted here. The average first innings total in Old Trafford these past few weeks has emerged in the range of early 130s. Considering the recent results, the captain winning the toss will likely opt to bat first.
As per the pitch report, the presence of at least two quality spinners is imperative for containing the middle stages of the innings. Picking an ideal wicket-taking pacer with the new-ball will also prove effective for the fantasy contests. Selecting an aggressive top-order will be beneficial for scoring effective points from the fantasy contests. Moreover, it is advisable to choose middle-order batters who can bat according to the situation.
Northern Superchargers skipper Harry Brook won the toss and chose to bowl first with Pat Brown and Tom Lawes replacing Reece Topley and Jordan Clark. Manchester Originals skipper Phil Salt batting first are going with the unchanged playing XI.
Ben Stokes injury the talking point as Manchester Originals reached 152 for 7
The Originals were led by skipper Phil Salt’s early assault. He hit 61 and almost single-handedly carried the innings through to a respectable score. Salt’s 61 made sure that the Originals were not pushed back by much despite wickets falling at regular intervals at the other end. However, Mitchell Santner’s three-wicket haul was instrumental in ensuring that the Originals could attack only from one end, and kept them in check.
In worrying news for Superchargers and England, Ben Stokes suffered a hamstring pull and was forced off the ground in crutches early on in the chase. Phil Salt and Max Holden enjoyed the early exchanges – the score at 86 for 2 when Holden was dismissed on the 34th ball – but Superchargers didn’t allow Originals to maintain their lightning scoring rate at the interval, they were in the game, albeit with a lot to do.
Stokes injury overshadows Nicholas Pooran heroics in Northern Derby
Nicholas Pooran powered Northern Superchargers to third in the points table with a late blitz that stunned the Manchester Originals. Nicholas Pooran smashed an unbeaten 66 off just 33 balls including eight sixes in a come-form-behind win for the Superchargers. The visitors had only 38 on board at the halfway stage chasing 152 before Harry Brook took charge initially with a quickfire 43.
Nicholas Pooran, who began watchfully, then took over, hitting 22 off the penultimate set bowled by Fazalhaq Farooqi when the match was in balance. Towards the latter half of that chase he had the experienced Adam Hose for company with the duo putting on 71 in just 29 balls to complete a remarkable turnaround.
Nicholas Pooran smashed 66 from just 33 balls, including eight sixes, to inspire a memorable comeback victory for Northern Superchargers in The Hundred. Nicholas Pooran – who is enjoying a stellar competition – came in at 29 for 2 with over 100 required and everything to do after Phil Salt drove his Manchester team to an intimidating 156 for 3, and walked off Emirates Old Trafford 62 balls later having kept his team in the competition.
The game looked to be going the way of the hosts on more than one occasion, firstly when Salt took Originals to the biggest-ever powerplay, and latterly in Superchargers’ chase when they required 124 from 60, but Superchargers’ spinners dragged Originals back to keep the chase manageable, and Nicholas Pooran, Brook and Adam Hose performed heroics with the bat to carry the day.
The Superchargers’ charge continued a theme of top-class batting throughout the day, ably supported by a belter of a pitch at Emirates Old Trafford. For Andrew Flintoff’s team, Nicholas Pooran then did as he has been doing throughout this competition to dispatch bowlers left, right and centre and make the improbable look routine, with support from Brook and Hose – and with it he kept the Superchargers’ hopes alive.
The only bad news for Superchargers – who now need to beat London Spirit at Headingly on Tuesday to progress to the knock-out stages – was Stokes’ injury, which he sustained after running a quick single off the 12th delivery of the second innings.
Presentations and Road Ahead
Meerkat Player of the Match Nicholas Pooran said :
“It’s definitely one of my better innings, knowing the situation of the game. Walking into bat with 100+ runs to get, and this format it creeps up on you very fast but I was really happy that I could contribute and be there to the end.
“I knew he struck it well [Adam Hose], but I was just really happy that he is finding some form as well. You don’t win tournaments with just one person contributing. It’s really good when your teammates can contribute and hopefully we can go to our game on Tuesday and fight.
“If we lost the game today we’d be out of the tournament, I’m happy that I can be there to the end, contribute, get the win for the team and hopefully the result will be the same again on Tuesday as well.”
Supercharges scored 118 off the last 37 balls there. Absurd. It’s a stunning victory that moves Superchargers third, and consigns Originals to yet another defeat, though they’re already out of it so, well, who cares. Ben Stokes is out there with crutches shaking hands with the Originals. It is confirmed as a hamstring issue, with updates to come tomorrow upon further assessments. But it’s not too great a stretch to suggest that might be his summer over.
An eventful game, not least for Ben Stokes’ hamstring injury which makes the England captain a doubt for the Test series against Sri Lanka which begins in 10 days.