With bat and ball. They bowled out their London counterpart the Spirit for a miserly 80 runs – the second-lowest score ever scored by any men’s team in The Hundred tournament history. The game was held at the legendary Kia Oval. The Invincibles displayed some of the best bowling talent on parade today as Rashid Khan and Sam Curran headlined a dominant performance to remove the Spirit’s seven batters with major speed and accuracy.
The London Spirit had a few uncomfortable moments during their innings. They battled to the best of their abilities, but accurate bowling saw them bundled out for only 80 runs in 94 balls. This unacceptable figure highlighted the task that lay ahead of them against the Invincibles’ mighty bowling attack. Rashid Khan was the star of the night for his side, with figures of 3 wickets for 11 runs. Curran was the match winner, taking 3/18 to help dismiss Pakistan for a paltry 105 in combat conditions. He bowled a landmark delivery which timed in at an astonishing 47.1 mph, the slowest wicket-taking delivery by a seam bowler in men’s World Cup history.
The Invincibles certainly came in hot to the match, taking control immediately. Jason Behrendorff’s first spell was riveting, he didn’t concede a run in his first 10 deliveries and struck the crucial included wicket of Kane Williamson. It was Liam Dawson who came through for the Spirit, taking 2 wickets for just 9 runs. No amount of strong performance from him could stop the batting order from collectively collapsing.
Chasing a very achievable target of just 81 runs, the Oval Invincibles were all-poised and cool under pressure. They achieved their goal with ease, completing an 81-4 victory in just 69 balls. That extraordinary performance helped seal a six-wicket victory, with 31 balls to spare. Tom Jacks had a strong game scoring 24 runs on the scoreboard. In the meantime, Donovan Ferreira had dipped down to clinch the match with a booming six off Luke Wood.
David Warner made his long-awaited debut in The Hundred for the Invincibles. He added 9 runs to his score before being caught out. The win is a testament to the Invincibles’ remarkable talent and finely tuned tactical discipline. Consequently, the London Spirit are left reeling and scrambling for answers as they look forward to their next match up.
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