Lawrence 93 trumps Root's 72* as Spirit hold on in thriller against Rockets – T20 IPL 2024

London Spirit 195 for 4 (Lawrence 93) beat Trent Rockets 193 for 5 (Root 72*) by two runs

Dan Lawrence hammered the highest score of the Men’s Hundred so far and set up London Spirit’s first victory of the competition as they scraped past holders Trent Rockets by two runs in a tense finish at Lord’s.

The Spirit captain hit 93 from 49 balls, including an impressive 10 fours and three sixes as the home side amassed 195 for 4, their best ever total in the tournament, after being put in to bat.

Joe Root, who hit an unbeaten 72 from 35, almost pulled off an astonishing late fightback with some big hitting, as Daniel Sams struck a flurry of boundaries to leave the Rockets needing 13 off the last five balls. But Spirit seamer Nathan Ellis kept his cool to dismiss Sams for 32 from 11 as the visitors fell just short on 193 for 5.

Having won the toss, Rockets decided to field and although Sam Cook struck with his first ball by having Adam Rossington caught at long-off, Zak Crawley gave Spirit a blistering start as they raced to 47 for 1 in the powerplay.

Crawley produced a number of powerful shots, including the first six of the game as he deposited Sams over deep square leg. Lawrence also cleared the rope with six off Ish Sodhi, but the legspinner then made the breakthrough as Crawley was taken at long-off for 30 from 15. Sodhi also picked up the wicket of Mathew Wade, with Sams diving to take a well-judged diving catch in the deep.

Lawrence, having just slammed the spinner for six, then advanced to his half-century from 33 by driving Sams to the point boundary, part of a set that cost the bowler 16 and the skipper continued to accelerate, with 17 coming off the next set from Root.

Eventually Lawrence was neatly caught on the fence by Sam Hain, who palmed the ball up and skipped back inside the boundary to complete the catch. However, Ravi Bopara maintained Spirit’s momentum with 25 not out from just 13, including two sixes off the final set from Cook.

Dan Worrall kept his side on top at the start of the Rockets’ reply with an inswinging yorker that castled Dawid Malan after a mere three balls. The Australian followed that up with the wicket of the dangerous Alex Hales, caught behind for 15 off 12. But Root dented Worrall’s impressive figures – he finished with 2 for 23 – as he and Tom Kohler-Cadmore launched Rockets’ recovery with a partnership of 57 from 30.

Eventually Kohler-Cadmore was removed by Liam Dawson, caught at mid-off for 33 off 23, but Root kept up the attack, eventually reaching his 50 with a reverse-sweep for four off Matt Critchley.

He added another 69 from 31 with Colin Munro before the left-hander was caught on the boundary only for Sams – who came in with 52 still needed from 18 – to raise Rockets’ hopes. But, when he was leg before to Ellis, Spirit held on.

Amal Fagbohun is a Hundred Rising Reporter

Source: ESPN Crickinfo

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