Match Centre

Statistics

Best performances - Batsmen

DJM Short
DJM Short
69(47) 10x4 - 0x6
Control %83%
  • Productive Shot
  • flick
  • 22 runs
  • 3x4 - 0x6
7 5 9 8 15 5 8 12
RE van der Merwe
RE van der Merwe
25(18) 2x4 - 1x6
Control %55%
  • Productive Shot
  • steered
  • 8 runs
  • 0x4 - 1x6
11 0 2 2 2 4 2 2

Best performances - Bowlers

M Carter
O4
M0
R17
W3
Eco4.25
RHB
OFFLEG
1W
1W
1W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
SR Patel
SR Patel
O4
M0
R20
W3
Eco5.00
RHB
OFFLEG
1W
1W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
1W

Scorer: Ranjith P | Commentator: @PeterDellaPenna

END OF OVER:
20 | 6 Runs | LS-M: 116/8 (8 runs required, RR: 5.80)

  • Blake Cullen15 (9b)
  • Roelof van der Merwe25 (18b)
  • Marchant de Lange3.5-0-34-0
  • Marchant de Lange3.5-0-34-0

9.02 pm The Trent Rockets spinners rally them to win the match against the odds. Brilliant from Matt Carter while Rashid Khan, Samit Patel and Darcy Short all chipped in as well. I know Carter and Samit Patel finished with the same amount of wickets but Carter was the standout in the innings. The Rockets remain undefeated and at the top of the table on six points taking three from three while the Spirit remain in search of their first win. van der Merwe top-scoring with 25 not out off 18 balls tells you all you need to know about the failure of the top-order to contribute.

Match Hero is Darcy Short for his first innings dig and economical spell with the ball: "I was looking for 150 at the start but the last over helped us out at the end and I was happy to get to 120-130. It was a slow pitch, the ball was holding a bit and it was tough to get going when you come in. It was either hit out or get out at the end trying to put a total on the board. It was a good crowd to play in front of. Instead of empty grounds, it's always good to have people out here supporting the game."

London Spirit captain Eoin Morgan: "Another fantastic game. The crowd came out tonight and it was outstanding to see such an electric atmosphere at the home of cricket in a new format that really is taking off. We're gutted we didn't win tonight. We thought we handed them the game a little bit. I thought we bowled really well, both sides did, but in a run chase like that knowing what you have to chase, we have to take on more responsibility and play better. I thought Roelof van der Merwe and Blake Cullen towards the end really did keep us in the game, but we didn't deserve to win that game. Up and down the country, I've watched every game so far and you see the home support is fantastic. It's great to see for a guy like myself who has played his whole career at this club [Middlesex] to see an electric atmosphere at the home of cricket for this new format really does show the success of it so far. We've got to be quite logical in the way we look at [how we've] not putting partnerships together. I think we were only one partnership away from chasing that total down. Every attacking shot we seemed to play didn't come off. I think when you're chasing and having the advantage of knowing the total you're chasing, you have to take advantage of that and we didn't. I really enjoy the new rules and the ability to bowl 10 balls, two sets in a row, it's been outstanding. The other advantage I really like is when you take a wicket the new batsman is always on strike. I think that could be applied in all formats of the game. I really do think it adds a new dynamic to the game. I generally think [women] will be the biggest benefactors of this tournament. The last game here there were 12,500 people watching, really getting behind the girls and cheering them on. The standard that we've watched playing women's cricket has really been brilliant and I think it will only get better as the tournament goes on."

That's all from Lord's tonight as the Rockets make a clean sweep in both the women's and men's matches. For Alan Gardner at Lord's and Andrew Miller on commentary, I'm Peter Della Penna. Come back tomorrow for more coverage of the Hundred. Until then, take care!

19.5
0
de Lange to Cullen, no run, length ball whistles over off stump, Cullen swings and misses again. Trent Rockets hold on to claim a dramatic low-scoring thriller!

8 to win now off the last ball. Gregory comes over to tell de Lange the obvious....

19.4
0
de Lange to Cullen, no run, length ball outside leg stump, Cullen backs away heaving again for the leg side but catches nothing but air. The crowd deflates....
19.3
1
de Lange to van der Merwe, 1 run, knee high full toss on off stump, van der Merwe swings for the moon over midwicket but instead slices a thick edge very fine that somehow picks out a very perfectly placed deep third man fielding very fine on the rope.

Lengthy delay between balls as Alex Hales comes over to chat with de Lange. Lewis Gregory comes over for a word too.

19.2
1b
de Lange to Cullen, 1 bye, leg stump yorker attempted, in truth it's a knee high full toss that Cullen fans on and somehow it goes through his legs while miraculously missing the stumps. van der Merwe alertly calls him through for a bye.
19.1
4
de Lange to Cullen, FOUR, another slower length ball on leg stump at 72 mph, Cullen isn't fooled while backing away from the stumps and uppercuts this over short third man. The crowd goes berserk!

Is that last maximum giving the captain second thoughts about having de Lange bowl 10 straight? Not quite. The big South African still has the ball in hand with 14 runs needed to win.

END OF OVER:
19 | 12 Runs | LS-M: 110/8 (14 runs required from 5 balls, RR: 5.78, RRR: 14.00)

  • Blake Cullen11 (5b)
  • Roelof van der Merwe24 (17b)
  • Marchant de Lange2.5-0-29-0
  • Samit Patel3.5-0-20-3
18.5
6
de Lange to Cullen, SIX, de Lange goes length, Cullen goes boom over midwicket! de Lange bangs it in short but not nearly short or wide enough, sits up on fifth stump and is cranked over the rope just barely landing two yards beyond.

Spirit 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st15AM RossingtonJP Inglis
2nd10Mohammad NabiJP Inglis
3rd4JL DenlyJP Inglis
4th4JL DenlyEJG Morgan
5th15RS BoparaEJG Morgan
6th17EJG MorganRE van der Merwe
7th0RE van der MerweCP Wood
8th28RE van der MerweMohammad Amir
9th23RE van der MerweBC Cullen