The Hundred: Rehan Ahmed leads Rockets to dominant win over Originals

Trent Rockets stormed to their fourth win in five matches with a commanding seven-wicket victory against Manchester Originals at Trent Bridge on Tuesday night, leaving them level on points with Oval Invincibles at the top of the Hundred table.

Captain David Willey and leg-spinning allrounder Rehan Ahmed were the stars of the night. Willey bowled with precision in the powerplay, returning his best figures in the competition – 3 for 11 – as the Originals collapsed to 98 for 8 from their 100 balls.

Rehan then added 2 for 14 with the ball before guiding the chase with a stylish unbeaten 45 from 35 deliveries.

The Originals’ batting effort never recovered from Willey’s opening burst. He removed Ben McKinney for a duck before dismissing Jos Buttler and Rachin Ravindra in successive balls to leave the visitors reeling at 26 for 3.

Rehan chipped in by dismissing Heinrich Klaasen for 9, while sharp catches from Joe Root and George Linde added to the pressure. Only Lewis Gregory provided resistance with a late cameo of 33 not out.

Chasing 99, the Rockets stuttered early as Root fell to Sonny Baker and Tom Banton was trapped by Ravindra. But Rehan steadied the innings with a composed knock, ably supported by Tom Moores (22*), to seal the win with 26 balls to spare.

Speaking after the game, Willey praised the young legspinner’s fearless approach. “We talked about intent at the start of the competition and Rehan epitomises that. He’s a tricky one to bowl at and when it comes off like tonight, he can take the game away from the opposition,” he said.

The Rockets now sit just behind the Invincibles on net run rate ahead of their top-of-the-table clash at The Oval on Thursday.

Today’s lineup – Wednesday, August 20

Today’s action in The Hundred features a men’s double-header, with matches taking place in both Cardiff and London.

At Sophia Gardens, Welsh Fire host Southern Brave in the afternoon, while later in the evening Lord’s hosts London Spirit against Northern Superchargers. The back-to-back fixtures promise a crucial day in the competition, as teams jostle for positions in the table with the group stage reaching its decisive phase.

Both matches will be broadcast live across Afghanistan on Ariana Television. Fans can tune in from 6pm Kabul time.