Oval Invincibles and Welsh Fire played out a thrilling tie while England batter Harry Brook slammed 63 from 27 balls for Northern Superchargers as Sunday’s men’s matches in The Hundred provided plenty of entertainment.
There was high drama at The Kia Oval in the evening fixture, with Tom Curran completing a scampered two off the final ball to ensure Invincibles matched Fire’s score of 138 and remained unbeaten for the tournament.
Curran (38no off 18 balls) hauled Fire seamer David Payne’s final delivery to deep backward square and managed to get his bat over the line at the wicketkeeper’s end just before Joe Clarke removed the bails.
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Curran dives into the crease to tie the game for Invincibles against Fire
Invincibles had looked second favourites when Curran strode to the crease, with the requirement 47 from 25 balls, but he proceeded to smash Ben Green for four and then nailed sixes off Payne and Pakistan duo Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
The ask was 13 from five balls when Payne began his final set before another Curran six cut that to four off two.
Sunil Narine was run out off the penultimate delivery as the Invincibles pushed for a second run but Curran completed a two at the death as the 21,432 fans in attendance were treated to a thrilling finish.
Curran had earlier taken two wickets and a catch and seen team-mate Gus Atkinson strike three times as Fire posted 138-6, a total in which Clarke top-scored with 69 from 46 balls and Green added 25 off 16.
Jordan Cox scored 51 from 43 balls for Invincibles after Jason Roy fell for a golden duck, only for Cox’s dismissal to trigger a collapse of 4-12 to 100-6 before Curran’s crucial intervention.
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The best of the action as Northern Superchargers hammered Southern Brave by 60 runs in The Hundred
Earlier in the day at The Ageas Bowl, Brook’s five sixes and three fours, plus a rollicking 73 from 36 balls from Australian Matthew Short, propelled Superchargers to 201-3 against Southern Brave, with Craig Overton punished for dropping Brook on 12 at long-on.
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Mark Butcher was astonished as Southern Brave’s Craig Overton dropped Brook in the deep
Superchargers’ total was second-highest in the history of the men’s competition, behind only the 208-5 Manchester Originals had smoked against Superchargers at Headingley in August of last year.
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Harry Brook reached his half-century from just 23 balls
Brave could only manage 141-5 in reply to lose by 60 runs, despite Tim David’s 19-ball 40, as they were condemned to a second defeat in three fixtures.
England white-ball seamer Reece Topley bagged three wickets for Superchargers to help his side to a first win of the season after their opening game against Birmingham Phoenix was washed out
What’s next?
Monday 7th August 6:00pm
Monday 7th August 2:30pm
Monday’s matches in The Hundred come from Emirates Old Trafford as Manchester Originals take on Birmingham Phoenix. The women’s game starts at 3pm with the men then under way at 6.30pm. There will be a 30-minute build-up to both games on Sky Sports Cricket.
Sky Sports will show all 68 games in The Hundred live this summer. Stream The Hundred for £26 a month and more with NOW.