Manchester Originals 164 for 6 (Buttler 75) beat Northern Superchargers 83 (Harrison 5-11) by 81 runs
If London Spirit beat Welsh Fire this evening, the Leeds-based side are eliminated from this year’s competition but their chances are gossamer-thin in any case.
After a relatively sedate start – only 29 runs coming from the first 20 balls – Buttler took 14 off Brydon Carse’s first set of five and the opening pair had taken their stand to 72 off 41 balls before Salt, who had been dropped by Wayne Parnell on 18, was caught at long-off by David Wiese off Adil Rashid for 28.
Five balls later Wiese took a second catch when Laurie Evans slapped Callum Parkinson down the ground and departed for just seven but that was the signal for Buttler and Paul Walter to launch a selective onslaught on the Superchargers bowling.
Both batters hit sixes off Matt Short’s second set and the Originals were well placed for further mayhem on 128 for two after 75 balls. That was initially prevented when Walter was stumped by Tom Banton off Rashid for 28, thus ending his 48-run stand for the third wicket with Buttler.
The Originals’ skipper reached his fifty off 35 balls but having made 75 with six fours and three sixes, Buttler was eventually caught at deep midwicket by Harry Brook off Rashid, who almost immediately collected his fourth wicket when Jamie Overton was caught by Carse at long-off for two.
The home side’s hundred balls ended with what seemed an eminently defendable total on the board given the turning pitch. Rashid finished with four for 18 from his 20 balls.
The Superchargers’ pursuit began poorly when Adam Lyth, having made just one, drove Overton’s seventh ball of the innings straight to Paul Walter at mid-off.
Tom Hartley then struck with his second ball when Tom Banton reverse-swept him to point, where Harrison took a superb two-handed catch above his head. Adam Hose was then caught down the leg side by Buttler off Josh Tongue for a six-ball 15 and the visitors’ problems deepened when Matt Short was stumped off Harrison for 11.
Harry Brook was joined by his skipper Parnell with the score on 37 for four but things got worse when the Superchargers’ last specialist batsman, Harry Brook was bowled for two by a superb ball from Hartley which pitched on middle and leg and hit middle and off.
Parnell was caught at backward point by Zaman off Harrison for 11 and the same bowler accounted for Wiese, Carse and Parkinson in the space of nine balls to finish with five for 11 from his 20 balls.
Source: ESPN Crickinfo