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David Willey’s Three-Wicket Burst Powers Trent Rockets to Dominant Win Over Manchester Originals
Willey Stars With the Ball as Rockets Cruise to Victory
Trent Rockets climbed to second place in the points table with a commanding seven-wicket win over Manchester Originals at Trent Bridge on Tuesday (August 19) in The Hundred 2025. Skipper David Willey was the star of the show, producing a match-defining spell of 3 for 11 to dismantle the Originals’ top order and restrict them to just 98 for 8 in their 100-ball quota.
In reply, the Rockets completed the chase with remarkable ease, knocking off the target with 26 balls to spare, courtesy of a classy knock from Rehan Ahmed and strong support from Tom Moores.
Willey Leads From the Front With New-Ball Magic
Early Breakthroughs Break the Backbone
The Originals’ decision to bat first backfired almost immediately as Willey struck in the opening set. Youngster Ben McKinney was trapped leg-before, setting the tone for the innings. Soon after, Jos Buttler, who had looked threatening with three crisp boundaries, perished while attempting an expansive shot against Willey, only to edge behind.
The left-arm seamer wasn’t done yet — his peach of a delivery to dismiss Rachin Ravindra first ball left the Originals reeling, with Willey claiming two wickets in the same set to put his team firmly in control.
Support From Rockets’ Bowlers
While Willey spearheaded the attack, his fellow bowlers tightened the screws. George Linde maintained pressure with an economical spell, preventing Phil Salt and Heinrich Klaasen from breaking free. The middle order’s struggles deepened when Rehan Ahmed chipped in, removing both batters with clever variations that forced miscued shots.
Sam Cook added to the collapse by dismissing Matthew Hurst and Scott Currie, while Marcus Stoinis joined the party with the wicket of Noor Ahmad, ensuring the Originals never found any momentum.
Lewis Gregory Offers Lone Resistance
With wickets tumbling at regular intervals, captain Lewis Gregory stood tall as the only bright spot in the Originals’ innings. Initially watchful, Gregory shifted gears in the final 10 deliveries, smashing boundaries and a couple of sixes to lift his side past 90. His unbeaten 33 provided some respectability to the scorecard but could not mask the batting unit’s overall struggles.
At the halfway mark, the Originals were bowled out of contention with just 98/8, a total well below par even on a surface that offered some assistance to bowlers.
(Related: The Hundred 2025 Match Reports)
Rockets’ Chase: Rehan Ahmed Shines With the Bat
Early Jitters But No Panic
Although chasing a modest target, the Rockets suffered early hiccups. Joe Root fell cheaply for 4, followed by Tom Banton, who played a handful of attractive shots before being trapped LBW by Ravindra. At 26/2, the Originals sniffed an unlikely opening.
Rehan and Moores Seal the Deal
But Rehan Ahmed calmed nerves with a sparkling innings. The young all-rounder struck 45 off 29 balls*, mixing orthodox strokes with innovative slog-sweeps and flat-batted hits. He was particularly severe on Ravindra and Noor Ahmad, using his footwork and confidence to dominate the spinners.
Tom Moores provided able support, blasting 22 off just 13 deliveries* to ensure there were no further hiccups. The pair’s unbroken stand sealed the win with plenty of time left, condemning the Originals to their fourth defeat in six matches.
Brief Scores
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Manchester Originals: 98/8 in 100 balls (Lewis Gregory 33*, Jos Buttler 19; David Willey 3-11, Rehan Ahmed 2-14)
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Trent Rockets: 101/3 in 74 balls (Rehan Ahmed 45*, Tom Moores 22*; Sonny Baker 1-11, Josh Tongue 1-20)
Result: Trent Rockets won by 7 wickets.
The win strengthens Trent Rockets’ position near the top of the standings as they continue their push for playoff qualification. With Willey leading from the front both as captain and strike bowler, and youngsters like Rehan Ahmed stepping up, the Rockets look like genuine title contenders this season.
For Manchester Originals, however, batting woes continue to haunt them. Their over-reliance on Buttler and Salt has hurt their consistency, and unless the middle order contributes, their playoff hopes may slip away.
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