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Tim Seifert struck the fastest fifty in the history of men’s Hundred finals as the Manchester Super Giants held their nerve in a Lord’s thriller, beating Trent Rockets by five wickets with two balls to spare to lift the trophy on Saturday. Chasing 159, the Super Giants appeared to be cruising before a late collapse handed the Rockets a sniff — only for Liam Dawson to launch a six with three balls remaining and settle it.
The result denied Trent Rockets a slice of history. Having thrashed SunRisers Leeds by eight wickets in the women’s final earlier the same day, the Rockets were bidding to become the first franchise to hold both Hundred trophies in a single season. The men’s side, top of the table all summer, fell agonisingly short.
Seifert sets the tone before the wobble
Set 159 to win after Trent Rockets posted 158 for 8, the Super Giants leaned on their New Zealand opener. Seifert made 72 from 38 balls, reaching his half-century quicker than any batter in a men’s Hundred final and repeatedly clearing the Lord’s boundary to drain the pressure from the chase. He was well supported early by Paul Walter, who made a busy 22 from 14, and captain Jos Buttler, who chipped in with 23 from 14 before the innings threatened to unravel.
With the target in sight, the Rockets found a way back. Mohammad Amir was outstanding at the death, finishing with 3 for 29 and removing two set batters in quick succession to leave the Super Giants needing three from the final five balls. It was the sort of tight finish the Rockets had specialised in all season, and for a few deliveries Lord’s braced for another twist.
It did not come. Leus du Plooy had done the steadying work with an unbeaten 27 from 18, and Dawson provided the finish, striking a six with three balls to go to spark the Manchester celebrations. Seifert was named player of the match, a fitting reward for the innings that broke the game open.
A double denied for the Rockets
For Trent Rockets, captained by Sam Billings and comfortably the standout men’s side across the group stage, this was a rare failure to convert dominance into silverware. They won six of their eight league matches to finish top of the table, and their 158 for 8 looked a competitive total on a used Lord’s surface. But they lacked the finishing punch of Seifert at the other end.
The near-miss stings all the more given what the women’s team achieved hours earlier. Trent Rockets’ women swept aside defending champions SunRisers Leeds, bowling them out for 91 before knocking off the runs with 46 balls to spare to claim their first women’s title. Only the men’s final stood between the franchise and an unprecedented clean sweep of both competitions in the same year.
There was still a landmark to take home. Trent Rockets became the first franchise in the Hundred’s history to finish top of both the men’s and women’s tables in a season, and they collected the newly introduced Helix trophy, awarded to the club with the best combined men’s and women’s record. It is a consolation, but not the one Billings and his side had targeted on the walk to Lord’s.
What it means for Manchester and the Hundred
For the Manchester Super Giants, this is validation of a slow-burn campaign. They won five of their eight group games before edging past SunRisers Leeds in the Eliminator to reach the final, arriving as underdogs against a Rockets side that had beaten them earlier in the tournament. Buttler’s leadership and the depth of their batting — five contributors chipping in during the chase — proved the difference when it mattered most.
The final also underlined the competition’s growing habit of producing tight, late-decided finishes, exactly the drama organisers hoped the format would deliver. Seifert’s record-breaking knock and Dawson’s cool finish gave the tournament a memorable showpiece, while the new Helix concept added an extra layer of jeopardy that the Rockets, for all their consistency, could not fully capitalise on.
Manchester will now look to build on a first men’s Hundred title, having shown they can win the biggest occasions from the back foot. Trent Rockets, meanwhile, leave Lord’s as the season’s most dominant club overall — but with the one prize that got away still gnawing at them heading into next summer.
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**Sources:**
– [Sky Sports: Tim Seifert propels Manchester Super Giants to title](https://www.skysports.com/the-hundred/news/36890/13573676/the-hundred-tim-seifert-propels-manchester-super-giants-to-title-with-last-gasp-win-over-trent-rockets-in-lords-final)
– [Sky Sports: Trent Rockets thrash SunRisers Leeds to win women’s title](https://www.skysports.com/the-hundred/news/36888/13573734/the-hundred-trent-rockets-thrash-sunrisers-leeds-at-lords-to-win-womens-title-for-first-time)
– [ESPNcricinfo: MSG-M vs TR-M Final scorecard](https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/the-hundred-men-s-competition-2026-1521176/manchester-super-giants-men-vs-trent-rockets-men-final-1521264/full-scorecard)
Note: I verified the brief against live reporting before writing — Manchester Super Giants did win the men’s final (five wickets, two balls to spare), and Trent Rockets did complete the women’s title the same day, so the “double denied” angle in the brief holds up. One correction to flag: the win margin is by wickets, not runs, and the finish came down to the last three balls rather than a conventional wobble-and-hold.
Sports journalist and editor at SportsPortal.net. Covers cricket, football, Formula 1, tennis, and basketball with a focus on how global sports connect with Pakistani audiences. Follows the PSL, Pakistan national cricket team, Premier League, and major international tournaments. Has reported on sports for digital audiences since 2021.
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