Trent Rockets Overcome Oval Invincibles to Keep Final Hopes Alive

Trent Rockets delivered a thrilling finish at Trent Bridge, defeating Oval Invincibles by six wickets in the men's Hundred competition. The win, achieved with six balls to spare, meant the Rockets spoiled the Invincibles' opportunity to secure an automatic place in the final.

Oval Invincibles, having already qualified for the knockout phase, set a challenging target of 151. Opener Dawid Malan anchored the innings with an unbeaten 53 from 43 balls, while Ollie Cox added a valuable 39. The innings saw the Invincibles post 150-3, despite a late flurry of runs from Donovan Ferreira, who scored 27 from 10 deliveries.

In reply, Trent Rockets, already out of contention for the playoffs, showed no signs of letting up. Tom Banton’s early dismissal for six by Saqib Mahmood left them struggling at 57-3. However, Tom Alsop and Rovman Powell turned the game around with a dynamic partnership. Alsop struck consecutive sixes off leading wicket-taker Adam Zampa, while Powell added four sixes to his tally.

With 56 runs needed from the final 25 balls, Rockets accelerated their chase. Powell’s powerful hitting kept the pressure on, though he was eventually dismissed by Sam Curran. Despite Powell’s departure, Alsop’s calm finish saw him hit a crucial boundary off Mahmood, sealing the victory.

The result means the Invincibles will have to wait for the outcome of Thursday's final group game to determine if they will progress directly to the final at Lord’s on Sunday. The Rockets, meanwhile, ended their campaign on a high, showcasing their potential even in a season where they had been eliminated from playoff contention.