Mitchell Santner’s blazing fifty stuns MI London and books Trent Rockets’ place in the knockouts.
Table of Contents
Mitchell Santner’s Knockouts
Some run chases were jittery only to get better with time, and at The Kia Oval, Trent Rockets looked like they had gotten off to a poor start before one individual turned the game around.
A Shaky Start Turns Into A Statement Win
In a thrilling finish at The Kia Oval, Trent Rockets chased down 148 to beat MI London by six wickets. They scored their runs on the back of a superb stand between Mitch Santner and Tim David while getting off to a jittery start.
The Rockets had lost three quick wickets inside the first 30 balls as they found themselves at 46-3 chasing 148, with Finn Allen, Aneurin Donald, and Sam Billings all falling cheaply.
Billings was the second Rockets batsman to be dismissed, caught brilliantly by Richard Gleeson on the pads in an incredible caught and bowled.
That’s when everything changed.
- Santner and David remained not out on 78 partnership for the fifth wicket as Rockets posted the target set with 10 balls remaining in the chase.
- David and Santner capitalised on the two missed catches by Sam Curran and Sherfane Rutherford to accelerate the innings.
- Santner remained not out on 52 from 23 deliveries, scoring his half-century in only 21 balls!
- David remained unbeaten on 32 from 24 balls, hitting the useful support knock.
Curran’s Lone Battle Wasn’t Enough
MI London’s innings has been a curious one, a lone stunning effort from Sam Curran surrounded by relative impotence. The hosts were already 51 for 2 after losing their top two batters.
- James Vince and Nicholas Pooran, in the opening overs.
- Will Jacks added 39 before falling to the first ball of the following over.
- Sam Curran carried his bat and scored a fluent 72 that included five sixes and four fours in 46 balls.
- Despite the efforts of Curran, MI London could only manage 147-7.
Our take: This match was decided by one key passage of play – the dropped catches. Had David and Santner been dismissed early on, MI London would have had real chances to capitalize on the 64 needed to tie the match.
Letting both batters off the hook ultimately turned a close chase into a stroll, and is a reminder that in the T20 game, it’s not always the skill of the batters or bowlers but the impact of the fielders which can prove decisive.
What This Win Means For The Knockouts
- The win was a special one for the table
- as the Rockets registered their sixth win in seven matches, which would see them finish in the top three.
- They climbed to 24 points at the top of the table, with eight points over the nearest finisher.
- Trent Rockets had increased their net-run-rate advantage over fourth-placed Welsh Fire, who have two games left to play.
MI London will need to beat the bottom-placed Birmingham Phoenix to keep their Eliminator hopes alive, while Rockets can book a direct final berth with a win against Southern Brave.
Santner himself was justifiably modest about the win, noting that six out of seven matches might not be enough to finish top of the table, which is a sign of the team’s composure that has seen them through the campaign.
Final Word
MI London will no doubt look back on this match with a mixture of frustration and regret, but Trent Rockets have once again shown why they are top of the group. With the knockouts now in sight, can MI London rally to make a challenge, or is this group stage their final chapter?
Fast scores, major news, and zero fluff. Everything you need to stay ahead of the game.