Sam Curran clinches thriller for Invincibles after Will Jacks’ all-round present
Oval Invincibles 189 for 4 (Jacks 68, Klaasen 46*) beat London Spirit 187 for 7 (Rossington 61, Jacks 2-22) by two runs
Oval Invincibles accomplished the double over London Spirit in a dramatic last-ball thriller to win by two runs and transfer clear on the high of the Men’s Hundred desk.
Matt Critchley threatened to steal the win for Spirit with an unbeaten 32 off 13 balls earlier than a Sam Curran no-ball from what ought to have been the ultimate supply of the sport gave Spirit a second likelihood with three wanted. But tailender Chris Wood couldn’t make contact because the hosts defended 189, which owed to some huge hitting from Match Hero Will Jacks who clubbed 68 off 42 earlier than claiming 2 for 22.
Heinrich Klaasen additionally thrashed 46 not out with Curran including a blistering 35 regardless of Daryl Mitchell claiming 2 for 16 from 10 balls.
Adam Rossington was instrumental in main the Spirit chase with 4 enormous sixes as he opened with 61 from 32 balls.
The opening levels of the match have been troublesome for Invincibles as they failed to attain from 5 balls, earlier than Jason Roy and Jacks discovered their fluency in a partnership of 79. The guests ended the stand when Mitchell had Roy caught behind together with his first ball after which Jacks was taken within the deep by Zak Crawley.
Klaasen picked up from the place Jacks left off as he scored 4 sixes and he powered Invincibles on the demise, whereas Curran caught the temper of the match earlier than being caught out on the boundary by Mitchell.
With the guests chasing 189 for the win, the partnership of Crawley and Rossington was influential as they scored 58 for none on the finish of the powerplay. Rossington reached his half-century off 22 and whereas Crawley struggled for his timing Spirit saved rolling because the partnership flourished to cut back the requirement to needing 99 off 55.
Invincibles obtained their breakthrough as Curran bowled Crawley off the thigh pad earlier than Jacks claimed two fast wickets, together with the important thing scalp of Rossington.
Spirit’s chase began to falter with Matthew Wade out for 19 off 15 balls as three wickets went down in eight balls. But Critchley then discovered his groove, smashing Curran for back-to-back sixes, earlier than Wood slogged Zak Chappell for 4 to go away Spirit needing 17 off Curran’s closing set of 5.
Critchley clubbed the third ball into the group and thought he had accomplished the identical subsequent ball just for Ross Whiteley to in some way palm it again into play. Curran’s no-ball then gave Spirit as soon as final likelihood nevertheless it was an excessive amount of for Wood because the hosts held on.
David Diangienda is a Hundred Rising reporter. The ECB and Cricket Writers’ Club have partnered to supply younger and aspiring journalists with the chance to report on The Hundred matches as a part of The Hundred Rising programme this summer season