Manchester Super Giants return home with full points from their men’s and women’s double-header against London Spirit
An inspired bowling performance from Gus Atkinson and Sonny Baker propelled Manchester Super Giants to a stirring victory against London Spirit as a Lord’s crowd of 23,847 witnessed the first classic of the 2026 men’s Hundred.
The England pace pair took two wickets apiece but it was as much a test of nerve to hold a thrilling Spirit run-chase at bay, taking control of the final 10 deliveries to defy Liam Livingstone and get their team over the line.
It could have gone either way. With 56 needed from 30 balls the game was in the balance. Livingstone and the classy South African Dewald Brevis had been cautiously rebuilding after three wickets had fallen inside the first 46 balls.
Then Spirit captain Livingstone got to work, taking 12 off Noor Ahmad’s final five deliveries, including a signature leg-side sweep, his third six of the innings. Another trademark slog sweep brought up his fifty off 32 balls, and a slapped four through extra cover appeared to swing the game in the Spirit’s favour.
With 10 balls left, Spirit needed 21. Atkinson, who had earlier shown his class with the new ball, delivered a clutch five deliveries, including Brevis’ wicket, caught and bowled.
The Spirit needed 12 from the final five balls with Baker was entrusted with seeing out the innings. A single and a scampered two tilted the scales in the Super Giants’ favour, and with Livingstone on strike, Baker went full and fast to clatter into his stumps.
Earlier in the piece, Super Giants’ opener Tim Seifert got his career in the Hundred off to an electric start, clubbing 67 from 45 balls to hold the innings together after a sluggish start. Seifert was the key figure in steering the visitors to 2-105 after 67 balls, before a dramatic collapse saw them lose seven wickets to splutter up to 9-138.
Central to the strangle was Livingstone, who bowled 20 of the final 25 deliveries and took two wickets for just 14 runs. The new skipper carried on with the bat, striking five leg-side sixes in his 40-ball 69, but ultimately it was the Super Giants, and their English cohort of pacemen, who triumphed.
Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa (2-27) joined Livingstone in taking two wickets for the Spirit in his first game for his new franchise after spending the past three seasons representing MI London (formerly Oval Invincibles).