Rehan Ahmed starred with bat and ball as Trent Rockets sealed a comprehensive seven-wicket win over Manchester Originals at Trent Bridge.
Ahmed took 2-14 in a fine bowling effort alongside Rockets skipper David Willey, who ripped through the top order with 3-11, before scoring an unbeaten 45 as the home side reached their subpar target of 99 with 26 balls to spare.
The Originals trudged to 98-8 on a slow and sluggish surface, set up by Willey who pinned opener Ben McKinney lbw for a duck from the fourth ball of the innings, before having former England white-ball captain Jos Buttler caught behind for 19 and New Zealand international Rachin Ravindra was dismissed the same way first ball.
Ahmed then ended any hopes of an Originals recovery as the destructive Heinrich Klaasen holed out for nine from 16 balls and opener Phil Salt fell for 19.
Only Lewis Gregory offered any resistance for the Originals with his unbeaten 33 from 21 balls and despite losing openers Joe Root and Tom Banton early, the Rockets made light work of the chase for a welcome net run-rate boost which keeps the pressure on top of the table Oval Invincibles.
Root misjudged a scoop and was caught behind for four, Baton was lbw to Ravindra for 11 and Max Holden fell to a spectacular one-handed catch by Salt, one of very few moments for the Originals to celebrate as they were completely outplayed.
Ahmed was given a reprieve when he was dismissed on 39 by a Noor Ahmad no-ball with only seven runs left to win, but fittingly the all-rounder struck the winning boundary after a fifth-wicket stand of 40 with Tom Moores, who made 22 not out from 13.
Rockets remain second in the table, equal on points with Brave but behind on net run-rate, while Originals drop to sixth.
