A new name was destined to be placed on the big H that forms the trophy for the Hundred. The Manchester Originals or Trent Rockets would take it north after Southern Brave, who won it last year, failed to qualify for the final this year. In a game that threatened to go right to the wire eventually landed in the clutches of Trent rockets with heroics from Sam Cook with the ball and Lweis Gregory with the bat ensured a two wicket win with two balls to spare. Originals won the toss, chose to bat, and were soon in trouble as Sam Cook whipped up an impressive evening bowling with figures of four for 18 that included 11 dot balls. Laurie Evans’ torrid time lasted four balls before he was lbw to Cook. Wayne Madsen became Cook’s second victim, and Originals were in trouble at 18 for two. Things were to get worse when Phil Salt misjudged a delivery and was caught at mid-on. However, the originals tried to rebuild with their middle-order, Ashton Turner the pick of the batting with a 13 ball 26, which included the only six of the innings, Tristan Stubbs with a run a ball 18 and Tom Lammonby helped get the score up to a respectable 120 for nine. Samit Patel, who at 37 still doesn’t miss many games, and his three for 23 included his 900th professional wicket. With the pressure that comes from a Lord’s final, the destination of the silverware was not inevitable; especially if the Originals got early wickets, the trophy could still be headed up the M6 and not the M1. Alex Hales is always an essential player in a chase, and with Dawid Milan, in top form, it would need them to be at the crease for the Rockets to shoot hope victorious. But, instead, Hales added only eight before he was caught in the covers by Josh Little, who has been pivotal for the Originals all campaign. Wickets fell at regular intervals on a pitch that had proven difficult to bat on all day. Although towards the end, that was more about the Rockets’ batters throwing their wickets away when they had the game under control. Daniel Sams (13), Tom Moores(16) and Matthew Carter were the guilty parties as they tried to launch the ball out of the ground only to find the gleeful hands of fielders. With 11 needed from the final five, up stepped Lewis Gregory, the Rockets’ skipper, and he flicked it through mid-wicket for six. Richard Gleeson followed up with another ball down the leg side, and the Rockets only needed one from their final three balls. Overcompensation from the next ball, Gregory punched it through the covers with delight for his onrushing teammates. Gregory finished with 16 from six balls in an exciting end to proceedings.
