From: Ed Mace
London, 15 August 2026:
Manchester Super Giants beat Sunrisers for the third time this season as they cemented their place in Sunday’s final with a 20-run victory.
Paul Walter’s stunning 80 off 46 and Josh Tongue’s 4-26 proved the difference as MSG dominated the Eliminator from the start, setting up a clash with the Trent Rockets at Lords.
Choosing to bowl on an Oval pitch that seemed healthy for batting, Sunrisers made an improvement on their performance against MSG on Wednesday within two balls. After losing by ten wickets on that occasion, Brydon Carse dismissed Tim Seifert for a duck.
With the rest of the batting line-up rested after Wednesday’s drubbing, Seifert’s wicket did nothing but unleash two of the best white ball batters the game has ever seen, Jos Buttler and Heinrich Klaasen.
It was Walter who stood out though, as he struck eight sixes and three fours on route to his 80. He put on 57 with Buttler in 35 balls before a mammoth stand of 114 from 52 with Klaasen. The South African played an innings that was reminiscent of his IPL form smashing 63 off 26.
The three major contributors took MSG to 186-4, a score they knew would be enough providing the top four of Sunrisers could be dismissed.
Josh Tongue quickly made his mark on the bowling innings for MSG, taking the wickets of Mitch Marsh and Zak Crawley to leave Sunrisers 17-2.
The fate of the Sunrisers rested on the pair of Ryan Rickelton and Harry Brook, but it was the error of Crawley who cost Sunrisers dearly. Opting to review a decision that felt plumb, it left Harry Brook without a review which was desperately needed.
Sonny Baker bowled a delivery that Brook attempted to ramp and missed. It struck him on the pad but the distance Brook had shuffled across his stumps meant the impact was comfortably outside the line of off stump. He was given out on field and had to walk for 49 off 31, stopping Sunrisers in their tracks.
From then, it was the lone hand of Rickelton that attempted to drag Sunrisers to victory but it was not to be as he finished unbeaten on 54 but couldn’t be supported by the lower order.
Baker and Tongue took six wickets between them as Sunrisers could only reach 166-7, 20 short of their target.
Sunday’s final is now set up between the Trent Rockets who are on a seven-game winning streak versus the Super Giants who are carrying a fierce momentum into the game.
Scores in brief:
Manchester Super Giants Men beat Sunrisers Leeds Men by 20 runs
Manchester Super Giants 186-4 (Paul Walter 80, Heinrich Klaasen 63; Brydon Carse 1-22, Nathan Ellis 1-28)
Sunrisers Leeds 166-7 (Ryan Rickelton 54*, Harry Brook 49; Josh Tongue 4-26, Sonny Baker 2-39)
Player of the match – Josh Tongue
