What a frustrating conclusion to this Eliminator at the Kennington Oval. The rain forecasts proved accurate, spoiling the Menâs fixture and bringing an untimely end to the contest. Consequently, the Northern Superchargers are knocked out of the competition, while the Trent Rockets, finishing second on the points table, move straight into The Hundred Final at Lordâs, where theyâll take on the Oval Invincibles tomorrow.
Tomorrow promises a blockbuster double-header: the Womenâs Final sees Southern Brave face Northern Superchargers, followed by the Menâs Final with Oval Invincibles taking on Trent Rockets later in the day.
For now, this is Pritam Dey signing off on behalf of my co-commentator Ajay Pal Singh who, along with scorer/analyst Paras Yadav brought all the actions of this clash. Stay tuned for more cricketing action from around the world. BYE BYEđ
2:22 AM IST & 9:52 PM Local Time: Both captains shake hands and Trent Rockets progress to the final. Northern Superchargers would feel unlucky but they were helpless in front of inclement weather in London.
Earlier in the game, the Trent Rockets won the toss and opted to bowl first under overcast conditions. At the halfway stage of the Superchargers' innings, the first rain break occurred in what turned out to be a match riddled with interruptions.
Play resumed, and David Miller went berserk, smashing sixes at will. His quickfire cameo of 28 off 10 balls was brought to an end by Marcus Stoinis. Soon after, another spell of rain forced the players off the field again.
That rain break marked the end of the Superchargers' innings, which concluded at 119/5 after 15 sets. The revised target for the Trent Rockets was set at 134 in 75 balls.
Jacob Duffy bowled a wide before the rain returned, prompting the umpires to take the players off once more.
After a brief delay, the match resumed with a new target of 105 in 55 balls for the Rockets. However, just after the first set, as Matthew Potts was warming up to begin his spell, rain arrived yet again. This proved to be the final interruption, as the umpires decided conditions were no longer suitable for play. David Willey and Harry Brook shook hands to bring the contest to a close.
The final is now set: Trent Rockets will face Oval Invincibles in the Menâs final, while Southern Brave will take on Northern Superchargers in the Womenâs final on Sunday.
2:21 AM IST & 9:51 PM Local Time: Itâs becoming ever more doubtful that action will restart immediately, with persistent heavy rain and precious time slipping away. The Trent Rockets are certainly in a comfortable spot. The cut-off for the match to resume is now just 7 minutes away. We can anticipate the captains stepping out onto the field to shake hands anytime soon.
2:12 AM IST & 9:42 PM Local Time: At this point, itâs hard to keep track of how many times play has been interrupted in this match. Once again, the usual procedure is followed â the umpires had a chat, the rain pours down relentlessly, and the players are sent off the field as the covers go back on.
20 more deliveries are required to constitute this match.With just 16 minutes left on the clock, those balls need to be bowled; otherwise, the Rockets will automatically progress to the Final.