Richard Mann previews Sunday's Hundred Final between Manchester Super Giants and Trent Rockets at Lord's.
Cricket tips: The Hundred Final
2pts Sonny Baker to take two wickets or more at 13/8 (bet365)
Manchester Super Giants v Trent Rockets
- Date: Sunday, 18:00
- Venue: Lord's
- TV: Sky Sports Cricket
It’s Trent Rockets against Manchester Super Giants in the final of The Hundred at Lord’s on Sunday.
This feels like the right final. The Rockets were the best team in the regular season, producing a near-flawless campaign and proving impressively adept at adapting to different conditions.
There are superbly led by Sam Billings, quite the response to MI London who inexplicably let the Kent man go despite his successful stint as Oval Invincibles captain before their name change in the winter.
Billings marshals a well-oiled attack from behind the stumps, with Calvin Harrison’s wrist spin a point of difference at the end of this hot, dry summer.
Ben Duckett has been a model of consistency with the bat, and his opening partnership with Finn Allen is a case of little and large in looks only, as both men pack a punch in different ways.
Look out for Aneurin Donald at number three who hits sixes for fun and scores so quickly that he has the potential to prove a decisive factor if the pitch at Lord’s delivers a low-scoring final.
The surface at the Home of Cricket has received plenty of criticism for a while now, and rightly so, but amid some dreadful surfaces, we’ve also seen some flat ones here that have delivered big runs.
London Spirit coach Andy Flower recently criticised the unpredictable nature of the wicket at Lord’s, and it doesn’t make things easy for bettors, either.
If we get a poor pitch, the Rockets might have the smarts to adapt best, but MSG are a powerful outfit with real star-quality.
Having started like a train, MSG suffered a mid-season slump before recovering expertly, powering their way into the final with victory over Sunrisers Leeds in Friday’s Eliminator. They are worthy finalists.
Jos Buttler’s excellent captaincy has been a reminder of his own leadership skills, his batting has been very good, while Tim Seifert and Paul Walter have formed an unlikely but highly-effective opening partnership.
This team’s real strength is with the ball, however, with Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue and SONNY BAKER very likely to form an England pace attack in the not too distant future.
On a good pitch which produces a high-scoring contest, taking wickets becomes even more crucial, and this trio have done that all season. MSG boast two fine spinners, too.
Baker has taken big wickets all summer, be it for Hampshire, including on T20 Blast Finals Day, or MSG, and a Test debut against New Zealand was thoroughly deserved.
BAKER TO TAKE TWO WICKETS OR MORE landed when these two sides met at Old Trafford a couple of weeks ago, and also on this ground in MSG’s win over Spirit.
This is an impressive character and a genuine wicket-taker. Expect him to shine on the big stage again.
Preview posted at 09:55 BST on 14/08/2026
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