Crawley’s Costly Blunder Helps Super Giants Reach The Hundred Final

Sunrisers Leeds had already chased 182 against Manchester Super Giants in only 88 balls earlier in the tournament. When the same teams met at The Oval with a place in The Hundred final at stake, Manchester’s 186/4 offered protection but no guarantee.

Josh Tongue provided the control Manchester needed. Zak Crawley then made Sunrisers’ task harder by accepting an LBW decision that ball-tracking indicated would have been overturned.

Paul Walter’s 80 from 46 balls gave the Super Giants their foundation before Heinrich Klaasen blasted 63 from 26. Harry Brook and Ryan Rickelton tried to revive the chase, but Tongue’s four wickets and Crawley’s failure to review his dismissal sent Manchester into Sunday’s final against Trent Rockets at Lord’s.

TL;DR

• Manchester Super Giants scored 186/4 from their 100 balls at The Oval.
• Paul Walter led the innings with 80 from 46 deliveries.
• Heinrich Klaasen smashed 63 from 26, while Jos Buttler contributed 33 from 20.
• Josh Tongue took four wickets and earned Player of the Match honors.
• Zak Crawley failed to review an LBW decision that ball-tracking showed would have been overturned.
• Ryan Rickelton made 54 not out and Harry Brook scored 49, but Sunrisers fell short of the target.

Manchester Super Giants vs Sunrisers Leeds Eliminator Scorecard

Detail	Information
Competition	The Hundred Men’s Competition 2026, Eliminator
Match	Manchester Super Giants vs Sunrisers Leeds
Date	Friday, August 14, 2026
Venue	The Oval, London
Manchester Super Giants	186/4 from 100 balls
Super Giants’ top batters	Paul Walter 80 (46), Heinrich Klaasen 63 (26), Jos Buttler 33 (20)
Sunrisers Leeds	Failed to reach the 187-run target
Sunrisers’ top batters	Ryan Rickelton 54* (34), Harry Brook 49 (31)
Leading bowler	Josh Tongue, four wickets
Result	Manchester Super Giants won and qualified for the final
Player of the Match	Josh Tongue
Turning point	Crawley declined to review an LBW decision that ball-tracking showed would have been overturned
Next match	Manchester Super Giants vs Trent Rockets, August 16 at Lord’s

Paul Walter Gives Manchester an Innings to Build Around

Walter’s 80 was the performance Manchester needed when eliminator pressure could have tightened every decision.

He scored at a strike rate of 173.91, yet his value extended beyond acceleration. Walter batted long enough to connect Manchester’s early work with Klaasen’s closing assault. His presence allowed Buttler and Klaasen to attack without rebuilding the innings after every setback.

Sunrisers found periods of control through Brydon Carse and Nathan Ellis. Both varied their pace and challenged the batters with changes of length, preventing Manchester from attacking without risk.

Walter remained selective. Anything short or loose disappeared, while respectable deliveries rarely produced the reckless response Sunrisers wanted. In a lineup filled with internationally recognized hitters, he delivered the innings that held everything together.

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Heinrich Klaasen Turns a Strong Total Into a Difficult Chase

Klaasen’s 63 from 26 balls changed the match’s arithmetic.

Before his acceleration, Manchester appeared to be heading toward a competitive score that Sunrisers could manage. Klaasen pushed the total to 186, forcing the chasing side to score at nearly two runs per ball from the beginning.

His strike rate of 242.31 placed immediate pressure on Sunrisers’ defensive plans. Deliveries in his hitting arc disappeared, while attempts to slow the pace rarely prevented him from generating power.

Buttler’s 33 from 20 also carried tactical value. The captain maintained the tempo before Klaasen took control, ensuring Manchester avoided a quiet passage between Walter’s accumulation and the late assault.

Josh Tongue Breaks the Sunrisers Chase

Manchester still had reason to feel uneasy at the interval.

During the teams’ July 28 meeting at Headingley, Mitch Marsh struck 63 from 26, Crawley finished unbeaten on 56 and Brook made 42 not out from 17. Sunrisers reached 186/2 with 12 deliveries remaining.

This time, Tongue refused to let the chase develop the same rhythm.

The fast bowler attacked the stumps and denied Sunrisers easy boundary opportunities. His four wickets repeatedly interrupted their attempts to build partnerships, especially after Marsh and Crawley disappeared.

Tongue earned Player of the Match honors because his influence reached beyond the wickets column. Dot balls increased the required rate, pressured new batters and forced Brook and Rickelton to manufacture scoring opportunities against disciplined fields.

Zak Crawley’s Missed Review Becomes the Costliest Mistake

Crawley’s dismissal carried greater significance than the scorecard could show.

The Sunrisers captain was given out LBW during a difficult stage of the chase. He considered the decision but chose not to request a review. Subsequent ball-tracking showed the impact outside off stump, meaning the on-field decision would have been overturned.

It was a serious error from the captain in an eliminator.

Crawley appeared uncertain about the decision, yet he walked away without using the technology available to him. With Sunrisers chasing 187 and already losing momentum, preserving an established batter should have taken priority.

His record against Manchester made the mistake even more painful. Crawley had controlled the successful Headingley chase, remaining unbeaten while Marsh and Brook supplied the heavier hitting. His ability to attack pace and manage an innings could have given Sunrisers greater stability at The Oval.

A successful review would not have guaranteed victory. Manchester still had runs to defend and Tongue was bowling with confidence. However, Crawley surrendered a legitimate opportunity to remain at the crease and change the direction of the contest.

Brook and Rickelton Fight Without Finding Enough Momentum

Brook and Rickelton attempted to repair the damage after the early losses.

Rickelton’s unbeaten 54 from 34 gave the innings stability. Brook contributed 49 from 31 and retained enough attacking intent to keep the chase alive.

Their problem was the rising required rate. Manchester rarely allowed consecutive boundary opportunities, while Tongue’s breakthroughs prevented Sunrisers from preserving enough power for the closing sets.

The pair rebuilt respectably, but the chase required sustained acceleration. Sunrisers remained within sight of the target without taking control of it.

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Manchester Reverse the Headingley Script

The overlooked strength of Manchester’s victory was how completely they learned from the previous defeat.

At Headingley, Sunrisers controlled the match through uninterrupted partnerships and fearless hitting. At The Oval, Manchester created repeated breaks in the chase. Buttler maintained attacking fields, Tongue targeted wickets, and the supporting bowlers refused to release the pressure.

Crawley’s mistake gave them an opening, but Manchester still had to exploit it. Their bowlers did so with accuracy and composure.

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Trent Rockets Await at Lord’s

Manchester Super Giants now face Trent Rockets in The Hundred final at Lord’s on Sunday, August 16. The official competition schedule confirms the championship fixture.

Trent Rockets arrive with the benefit of direct qualification and additional preparation. Manchester carry the momentum of surviving an eliminator against a team that had previously overwhelmed them.

Walter built the total. Klaasen stretched it. Tongue defended it.

If Manchester reproduce that balance at Lord’s, their revenge at The Oval could become the performance that made them champions.