Trent Rockets Stun Table-Toppers Oval Invincibles to Spoil Party and Keep The Hundred Men's Competition Wide Open

Oval Invincibles missed the opportunity to secure a direct place in the final of The Hundred after falling to a spirited Trent Rockets side, who chased down a target of 151 with six balls to spare at Trent Bridge. The already-eliminated Rockets, led by impressive knocks from Rovman Powell and Tom Alsop, pulled off a thrilling six-wicket victory to derail the Invincibles’ hopes of sealing their spot at Lord’s on Sunday.

Despite already being assured of a place in the knockout stages, the Invincibles were eager to clinch the top spot and a direct route to the final. Choosing to bat first, they got off to a solid start, with openers Will Jacks and Dawid Malan guiding them to 47-0 before Jacks was trapped lbw by Lewis Gregory. Malan anchored the innings with an unbeaten 53 off 43 balls, but the Invincibles couldn’t quite accelerate as they would have liked.

Malan formed a crucial 71-run partnership with Ollie Cox, who contributed 39 before being clean bowled by Sam Cook. Donovan Ferreira provided the late fireworks, smashing 27 from just 10 balls to push the total to 150-3 from 100 balls.

In response, the Rockets stuttered early. Tom Banton, their leading run-scorer, fell cheaply for six, edging behind off Saqib Mahmood. At 57-3 halfway through their innings, the chase seemed to be slipping away, but Alsop and Powell had other ideas. Alsop ignited the recovery, taking on tournament leading wicket-taker Adam Zampa, smashing him for consecutive sixes that brought the game back to life.

The Rockets’ run chase gained serious momentum when they smashed five boundaries in just ten balls, reducing the equation to 24 needed from 15 deliveries. Powell, in particular, was in destructive form, launching four massive sixes before he was finally dismissed by Sam Curran, caught in the deep by Ferreira.

Despite Powell’s departure, the game was already in Trent Rockets’ grasp. Alsop finished the job, striking a crucial boundary off Mahmood to seal a memorable victory. His unbeaten 41 from 27 balls, combined with Powell’s explosive 45, ensured that the Rockets left their mark on this year’s competition, even if their campaign ends here.

For the Invincibles, the loss means they now face an anxious wait. Their place in the knockout phase is secure, but their direct route to the final is uncertain. They’ll be hoping for favorable results in the remaining group games to avoid the added pressure of a semi-final eliminator.

Oval Invincibles captain Sam Billings reflected on the match: “We set a decent total, but full credit to Powell and Alsop. They took the game away from us with that partnership. We’ve been consistent throughout the competition, so we’ll regroup and focus on finishing strong.”

The Hundred’s final group stage clash on Thursday now takes on added significance, with both the Invincibles and their rivals waiting to see who will clinch a direct path to Lord’s. The competition remains wide open as the business end of the tournament approaches.