Dawid Malan’s sensational 98 not out freewheeled the Trent Rockets to a record-breaking men’s win over Manchester Originals as the Hundred shone on a glorious day at Emirates Old Trafford.
The Rockets won their third game in a row – leaving the Originals with three defeats from three – as they chased a record 190 to triumph by eight wickets with six balls remaining.
Malan was powerful to leg and classy through the off as he replied with gusto to the Originals’ 189 for three – at the time, the second highest score in Hundred history. The England left-hander hit nine of 24 sixes in the match, facing 44 balls.
“When you play games less balls, there’s less time to think about it. You just play. Had they got 150, it might have been different with how we approached it," said Malan.
“We’re experienced enough to know that chasing 180 in 100 balls, you have to get your foot on it pretty early. Chasing 120, you have a bit more time.
Phil Salt posted an Originals’ best unbeaten 70, but his 46-ball innings was dwarfed in front of a 14,207 crowd in the baking Manchester sunshine.
Surely, the Hundred cannot have seen a better occasion than this following Australian leg-spinner Alana King’s hat-trick for the Rockets in the morning women’s game.
Salt and captain Jos Buttler, who had lost the toss, shared 84 for the first wicket in 51 balls, the England white ball skipper contributing an entertaining 41.
Salt was the bystander in a 34-run partnership for the third wicket with Tristan Stubbs, who took toll on compatriot Tabraiz Shamsi, the left-arm wrist spinner, with four sixes in four balls in 27 off 10.
Salt also shared an unbroken 52 in the last 20 balls of the Originals’ innings with fourth-wicket partner Laurie Evans (26 not out).
Samit Patel’s two for 20, including the wickets of Buttler and Andre Russell caught at long-on and long-off by Hales, stood out in an otherwise expensive attack.
But the Rockets came out with an ‘Anything you can do, we can do better’ approach to their chase.
Hales took Fred Klaassen for a trio of boundaries in the first set of five, while Malan creamed three of the first four sixes over leg as the score raced to 79 without loss after 35 balls.
Runs continued to flow – a polar opposite to the morning women’s game.
When Hales, for 38, chipped Matt Parkinson’s leg-spin to cover – 85 for one after 38 – the bulk of the damage had been done.
The shoddy Originals failed to hold either line or length, but Malan was unerring. He did not miss a chance to punish on his way to the Hundred’s second highest individual score behind Will Smeed’s 101 for Birmingham earlier this week.
Left-hander Malan hit three sixes in as many balls off Parkinson and Sean Abbott, by which time there really was no way back for the Originals at 134 for one after 56 – just 56 more runs required.
Malan backed up his unbeaten 88 in Tuesday’s victory over the Superchargers at Headingley, and the loss of Tom Kohler-Cadmore (30) lbw to Tom Hartley’s left-arm spin with 29 required was nothing more than consolatory.
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Witness the double winners alongside at Trent Bridge in the Trent Rockets' next home fixture versus Oval Invicibles on Wednesday 17 August. Secure your seats...