The Oval Invincibles have secured their spot in the knockout rounds of The Hundred after a convincing victory over London Spirit at The Kia Oval. The star of the match was Jordan Cox, who scored a brilliant fifty to lead his team to a nine-wicket win. Cox, who was recently selected for the England Test squad, ended the match unbeaten on 61 runs from just 30 balls, including a match-winning six.
The Spirit, who were already eliminated from the competition, struggled to make an impact with the bat, posting a modest total of 96 runs. Michael Pepper provided some resistance with a quickfire 27, but once he was dismissed by Adam Zampa, the Spirit’s fate was sealed. Zampa was the standout bowler for the Invincibles, finishing with impressive figures of 4-17. Sam Curran also chipped in with three wickets to help restrict the Spirit’s innings.
In their chase, the Invincibles made light work of the target, with Cox leading the charge. Ollie Stone tried his best to defend the total for the Spirit, but it was only a matter of time before the Invincibles sealed the win with 37 balls to spare. The victory means that Sam Billings‘ side has secured a top-three finish in the men’s competition, with their final game against Trent Rockets determining whether they will go straight to The Hundred Final or have to go through The Hundred Eliminator.
In another thrilling match, Nicholas Pooran played a heroic innings to guide the Northern Superchargers to a remarkable comeback victory over the Manchester Originals. Pooran’s explosive knock of 66 runs from just 33 balls, including eight sixes, helped his team chase down a challenging target set by the Originals. Despite a strong start from the Originals, Pooran’s brilliance with the bat, supported by Harry Brook and Adam Hose, kept the Superchargers‘ hopes alive in the competition.
The day’s action also saw Ben Stokes suffer a hamstring injury during the match, putting his participation in England’s upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka in doubt. Despite the setback, Pooran’s outstanding performance earned him the Player of the Match award and kept the Superchargers‘ hopes alive in the competition.
The Hundred action continues with a double-header on Monday, featuring Birmingham Phoenix women taking on Trent Rockets women followed by the men’s match. Fans can catch all the action live on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Cricket, and Sky Sports+, with Sky Sports+ offering access to over 50% more live sport at no extra cost for Sky Sports customers. Don’t miss out on the thrilling cricket action as The Hundred heads towards the business end of the competition.