S Poddar
Oval Invincibles strengthened their hold on The Hundred, defeating arch-rivals Southern Brave by six wickets in a pulsating thriller. The match lived up to its top-of-the-table clash billing, as both teams put on a strong display.
Yet again, it was the skipper of the Invincibles, Sam Curran, who managed to do it. His all-round brilliance helped them tame the Brave and take another step closer to sealing a spot in the knockout stages.
Curran Brothers Combine to Restrict Brave
This big occasion proved to be a little too much for the Brave batting order, except for skipper James Vince, who provided much-needed resistance with a well-compiled 52 off 39 balls. The Curran brothers orchestrated the Brave’s downfall, though, with Tom—elder of the Curran brothers—ripping through the top order and ending with figures of 4-24, while Sam chips in with two crucial wickets to leave the Brave reeling at 118/8.
Curious Chase Sees Invincibles to Victory
The Invincibles’ chase got off to a bizarre start with the fluent Dawid Malan getting through a frustrating period where he faced 10 consecutive dot balls. Chris Jordan also found his rhythm early; he conceded no runs from his first 11 deliveries, normally so assured.
However, all of that changed when Jordan Cox and Sam Curran took charge. The duo sewed a match-defining 58-run stand off just 27 balls to take it completely away from Brave’s hands. Cox was unbeaten on the blazing 46 from 29 balls, while Sam chipped in with a valuable 35 off 18 balls.
Sam Curran Reacts to Win # VitalWin
At the end of the game, elated Sam Curran said he knew how massive this win was: “This is a huge win. Both teams are in fantastic form, and this was a top-of-the-table clash. We knew winning this would put us in a strong position to reach the final at Lord’s.” He just admired their attack that had complemented each other well throughout this season.
Curran oozed belief in his team’s abilities. “I’m feeling really confident and enjoying the environment,” he said. “There’s a real belief within the squad, and we’re hopeful of maintaining this form for the rest of the tournament.”
Superchargers Sneak into Top Three Despite Washout
In another match, rain played spoilsport in Cardiff, washing out both the men’s and women’s Hundred matches between Welsh Fire and Northern Superchargers. Only three balls were bowled in the Fire’s chase before the match was abandoned, with the points split as a result. Despite barely any play, the outcome proved enough to see the Superchargers climb into the top three of the men’s competition standings.
