MNR VS WEF MATCH 16

That's it then from this game and it is Manchester Originals who have done the double over Welsh Fire as earlier it was the Women's team that too got the win. The cricketing action in The Hundred continues on Wednesday, the 17th of August with another doubleheader. It will be the Men's and Women's teams of Trent Rockets and Oval Invincibles going head-to-head. The Women's game is first and it will begin at 8 pm IST (2.30 pm GMT) but our build-up will begin much sooner. Do join us then, take care and goodbye!

The winning skipper, Jos Buttler is up for a quick chat. He says that it is a great feeling to finally get a win. He says that Sean Abbott is a nice player and he, himself will admit that he had not bowled well till now but he was brilliant in this game. He adds that they nailed their basics better. He says that he looks at the conditions and makes the decision on the basis of that. He praises Philip Salt for his innings and says he set the tone for the innings. Adds that he is a bit disappointed, after the start they got and they should have gone near 180. Says that there are still some areas to work on but for now it is time for a bit of relaxing and then going again in the next game.

Sean Abbott is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his magnificent bowling and fielding display. He says it is definitely not the start of the season they wanted. Adds that they managed to execute their plan really well. Mentions they knew that the pitch was going to be a slower one in the end and there would be some grip on offer as well. Adds that the conversations with the lads as a unit before the game have been really good and it was just a matter of execution. He then praises the effort of Mitchell Stanley on his debut and adds that later it helped everyone to chip in. Hopes that the side is able to build on the momentum on the back of this victory for their future matches.

The Presentation ceremony...

Right then, it was Josh Cobb who won the toss and put Manchester Originals into bat. This backfired immediately as both Jos Buttler and Philip Salt started hammering the bowlers. At one point, it seemed like the Originals will go on to get a mammoth score but then Welsh Fire bowlers pulled things back very well. Adam Zampa was at the forefront of that fightback but it was really Jake Ball who just didn't let the opposition get that momentum at the death as he picked up four wickets. Chasing an under-par target, Welsh Fire couldn't get off to the start they would have liked and once again, the pressure was on the middle order to perform but it was really a lone hand played by Dwaine Pretorius which was never going to be enough. Manchester Originals were good with the ball and in the field plus Sean Abbott not only matched Ball's four-fer but ended up on the winning side as well.

Welsh Fire have succumbed to another defeat and once again it is their batting unit that is to be blamed. With big names in that batting order, one would expect a much better showing but no one really batted long enough to inject some momentum in the chase. Their openers failed once again and it was Ben Duckett who did start off well but he too fell soon after. As the wickets kept tumbling, only Dwaine Pretorius was the one who found the fence with some regularity but it wasn't long enough before the chase got out of hand and in the end, Welsh Fire didn't even bat out their full quota.

At the halfway mark, Manchester Originals would have felt that they were a few runs short but they have been very, very good with the ball and in the field and that has made the difference. Once Mitchell Stanley got the first breakthrough, the others joined in and one wicket soon became two. The spinners then bogged down the opposition and a double-strike from Tristan Stubbs put them on top of proceedings. Sean Abbott was certainly on a roll as he pouched a couple of good catches and then just cleaned up the opposition tail with a four-fer. All in all, an excellent all-round bowling display from the Originals.

A very comprehensive win then for Manchester Originals and they have kept their hopes in this competition well and truly alive with their first win. As for Welsh Fire, it is a fourth straight defeat and they are all but out of this competition.

OUT! CAUGHT! Dwaine Pretorius tries to go big but holes out instead. It is tossed up, full and on off. Dwaine Pretorius gets low and slog-sweeps it to deep mid-wicket. Tristan Stubbs in the deep sprints to his left and takes a brilliant diving catch. Manchester Originals win the game by 47 runs here.

FOUR! Nicely played! It is flatter, outside off. Dwaine Pretorius stays back and slashes it through covers for a boundary.

Fuller, on off. Ball uses his feet and lofts it towards wide long on. It lands safely and they take one.

On off, pushed out to extra cover.

Another dot to end the over. This is a sharp bouncer and on middle, Jake Ball gets hurried on and tries to pull but cannot connect.

A slower bouncer now, on off, Jake Ball goes for the upper cut but misses the ball completely.

On a length again and on off, Jake Ball stays back and slaps it towards short cover.

Length delivery and around off, Jake Ball looks to cut it but gets an inside edge onto his boots.

Jake Ball is the last man in for Welsh Fire.