Oval Invincibles are almost guaranteed a place in the final as they have almost secured the top spot with an impressive win over London Spirit. Oval Invincibles complete the double over London Spirit in the London Derby. They put in an impressive performance in all facets of the game to win the contest easily. First, they restricted London Spirit to 152/7 through impressive bowling from Nathan Sowter and Tom Curran both picking 2-wickets apiece.
In the chase of 153, Oval Invincibles rode on attractive 40s from Will Jacks and Jordan Cox with Sam Curran too chipping in with an important contribution. Later on, Donovan Ferreira played the perfect role of a finisher as his unbeaten 24 off 9 balls made sure that Oval got to the target in 78 balls which will boost up their Net Run Rate even more. Oval finished the league stage on 24 points with 6 wins and 2 losses and a healthy Net Run Rate means they are certain to finish top although we have to wait till Wednesday night for the confirmation.
Nathan Sowter & Tom Curran’s impressive bowling restricts London Spirit to 152/7.
Put into bat first, Jamie Smith and David Warner came out to bat for London Spirit while Jason Behrendorff had ball in hand for Oval Invincibles. Jamie Smith made his intentions clear straightaway by hitting consecutive boundaries off Jason. Saqib Mahmood came to bowl the next set and Smith greeted him with a maximum over deep forward square leg. Smith was on a roll as he once again hit Jason for a boundary to deep square leg.
Tom Curran was introduced into the attack as David Warner finally joined the party with a boundary through fine leg region. Smith once again hit Curran for a boundary but Tom hit back getting rid of Smith for 28 off 15 balls with 4 fours and a maximum to his name. Tom bowled a good length delivery at the middle and leg stump, Smith stayed leg side of it to go over and straight but got a huge top edge. Jordan Cox at mid-off took a good catch. Ollie Pope walked out to bat at 3.
Warner hit Behrendorff for a boundary past mid-off. But Jason had his revenge getting rid of Warner for 10 off 8 balls with 2 boundaries to his name. Jason dragged the length back at the off and middle stump, Warner anticipated it and moved across to ramp it over fine leg. He could only connect it with his gloves and the ball went to the right of Billings who showed great reflex to take the catch. Captain Kane Williamson came in next and got off the mark with a boundary via a delightful cover drive. At the end of 25 balls of powerplay, London Spirit were 43/2.
Mahmood came back and bowled a tidy set. Sam Curran was next introduced into the attack. Sam struck for his side getting rid of Pope for 2 off 5 balls. Sam saw Pope move leg side and deceived him with his signature moon ball. It was on a length at leg stump with no pace on offer. Pope looked to go over mid-on but there was no fielder in the deep and so he took the risk. He timed it from the cue end of the bat as Jacks sprinted to his left from mid-on and threw himself in the air to grab it as Pope was in disbelief. Ashton Turner came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway.
Nathan Sowter was introduced into the attack next. Turner managed to get a boundary off Sowter. Tom Curran came back and bowled a tidy set. Sowter too kept things under check as after 50 balls at the halfway stage of the innings, London Spirit were 64/3. Sam Curran came back into the attack and bowled another tidy set. Williamson reverse swept Sowter for a boundary but a few balls later Sowter had his man dismissing Williamson for 21 off 18 balls with 2 fours to his name.
Sowter slowed it up and perhaps got a little bit of inward drift. Williamson wanted to sweep it from front of the stumps. The extra bounce foxed the batter as the ball took the top edge and flew towards square leg. Sam Billings the keeper ran across and took a tumbling catch. Jamie Overton came out to bat next. Jason came back into the attack as Overton hammered him through covers for a boundary. Turner heaved Sowter over midwicket for the maximum. Sowter hit back though getting rid of Turner for 19 off 19 balls with one four and one six to his name.
Flatter trajectory from the bowler, Turner sat back and brought out the ambitious pull shot as the ball landed on a good length. Ferreira at deep midwicket was nimble to move a couple of paces to his right before flinging himself further towards it and pouching it. Ryan Higgins came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. Overton took the attack to Mahmood and slammed him for a boundary and a maximum as the 100 came up for London Spirit in 74 balls. At the end of 75 balls, London Spirit were 102/5.
Tom Curran came back and bowled a decent set. Sam Curran came back as well and was swatted away by Overton over square leg for the maximum. Higgins joined the party as he hit Mahmood for a maximum and followed that up with consecutive boundaries. Higgins hit the low full toss off Curran for a boundary as the 50-run stand came up between the two players. Tom Curran got rid of Jamie Overton for 31 off 18 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes to his name.
Fuller length from Tom Curran and at the stumps, Overton walked a couple of paces out of his crease and tried to slam it straight and ended up miscuing it completely. Cox waited at long-off for a while before completing the catch. Liam Dawson came and got off the mark straightaway. Higgins thrashed Tom over covers for a boundary. Then there was a run out as Higgins fell for 28 off 15 balls with 4 fours and a maximum to his name. Both batters at the same end and Higgins was adjudged OUT. Luke Wood came out at the non-striker’s end.
Liam Dawson faced the last ball and hit a boundary towards deep square leg where Ferreira put down a catch and the ball went away to the fence. Dawson finished unbeaten on 5 off 2 balls with a boundary to his name while Luke Wood was unbeaten on 0 off 0 balls. 8 extras given by the fielding side as London Spirit finished with 152/7 in 100 balls.
Nathan Sowter was the pick of the bowlers for Oval Invincibles with figures of 2/23 in 20 balls. He was ably supported by Tom Curran who finished with 2/27 in 20 balls. Jason Behrendorff finished with 1/30 in 20 balls while Sam Curran finished with 1/30 in 20 balls. Saqib Mahmood gave away 39 runs in 20 balls. This meant that Oval Invincibles needed 153 runs to win off 100 balls and consolidate top spot.
Will Jacks & Jordan Cox’s attractive 40s takes Oval Invincibles over the line.
Chasing 153 for the win, Will Jacks and Tawanda Muyeye walked out to bat for Oval Invincibles while Luke Wood had ball in hand for London Spirit. Jacks got himself going with an agricultural boundary off Wood. Richard Gleeson took the new ball from the other end and got rid of Tawanda Muyeye for a golden duck. Gleeson bowled a back of a length delivery from over the wicket angled at the body. Muyeye pulled it on instinct from in front of the chest and picked out Turner at deep square leg. Jordan Cox came out to bat next.
Cox showed his intentions clear as he smashed Gleeson for a boundary and a maximum to get himself going. Jacks was also in his zone as he flicked Wood over long leg for a maximum. Jamie Overton came onto bowl next and was smashed by Jacks for a maximum and then a boundary through covers. Luke Wood bowled the final set of powerplay as Jacks clipped him for a boundary. After 25 balls of powerplay, Oval Invincibles were 45/1 in the chase.
Liam Dawson came into the attack post the powerplay and was thumped by Jacks for a boundary. Jafer Chohan came into the attack and was greeted with a boundary from Cox. Jacks smashed him for a maximum as well. Jamie Overton came back and delivered a quiet set. Dawson came back and got rid of Will Jacks for 45 off 27 balls with 4 fours and 3 sixes to his name.
Dawson bowled on the shorter side of good length, Jacks went deep in his crease before pulling it towards deep midwicket’s left. The ball was travelling like a rocket, but Ollie Pope dived to his left and plucked it out of thin air. Sam Curran came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. Chohan returned and was slog swept by Curran for a maximum before hitting a boundary of a no ball. The free hit did not yield anything. After 50 balls of the chase, Oval Invincibles were 87/2 and needed a further 66 runs off 50 balls.
Cox welcomed back Gleeson with back-to-back boundaries. Ryan Higgins came into the attack next. Soon, the 100 came up for Oval Invincibles in 58 balls. Curran got a streaky boundary off Higgins. Sam then launched Dawson over deep midwicket for the maximum. But Dawson hit back getting rid of Sam Curran for 27 off 13 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes to his name. Dawson bowled it on a length angling in within the tramline. Sam threw his bat at it and swung hard. The pace was off the ball and Sam faltered as he got a top edge and Gleeson took the simple catch at point.
Captain Sam Billings came out to bat next and survived a run out chance to get off the mark. Cox the smashed Jamie Overton for a maximum and then a boundary. Overton hit back though and got rid of Cox for 47 off 28 balls with 5 fours and 2 sixes to his name. Jamie bowled a straighter delivery fuller than length at the middle stump, Jordan Cox switched his stance to go for a reverse ramp shot and got outdone by the pace and it hit his stumps. The finisher Donovan Ferreira came out to bat next.
Ferreira made his intentions clear by getting off the mark with a cracking boundary. He then slammed Luke Wood for a maximum over deep midwicket. After 75 balls, Oval Invincibles were cruising at 142/4 and now needed 11 off 25 balls. Liam Dawson was back and Ferreira wasted little time as he got a lucky boundary through an inside edge before finishing things off in style with a maximum over long-off to give his side the win. Ferreira remained unbeaten on 24 off 9 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes to his name while captain Billings was unbeaten on 2 off 2 balls. 8 extras given by the fielding side as Oval were home with 22 balls and 6 wickets in hand.
Liam Dawson picked up 2/30 in 18 balls. Jamie Overton picked up 1/35 in 15 balls while Richard Gleeson finished with 1/21 in 10 balls. Luke Wood gave 29 runs off 20 balls while Jafer Chohan gave 27 runs in 10 balls while Ryan Higgins gave 8 runs in 5 balls. So, Oval Invincibles won by 6 wickets with 22 balls left and for his fiery innings at the top of the order, Will Jacks was awarded Player of the Match.
So, Oval with this win finish on 24 points after 8 games and with a very healthy net run rate, they will finish top most likely and play the final on Sunday although we shall wait till Wednesday night for official confirmation. London Spirit finish their campaign with 12 points from 8 games and in 6th place for now. They are out of reckoning as we already know.
What Lies Ahead.
The bandwagon shifts to Leeds in Headingley where Northern Superchargers are set to host Manchester Originals from 11 PM IST on 26th August 2025. Superchargers hoping to win and win well to try and match the Net Run Rate of Oval but it’s not going to be easy doing that. Manchester Originals are at the bottom and out of the race and will look to play for pride and end the season on a high.
Let’s see how this game unfolds as we get closer to the end of the league stage and then the playoffs games in Hundred 2025. It’s going to be fascinating viewing for all concerned.
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