The Hundred 2022 Men’s and Women’s Results, Reactions and Reports - Oval Invincibles v Northern Superchargers

The Hundred 2022 Men’s and Women’s Results, Reactions and Reports - Oval Invincibles v Northern Superchargers

The Men's Hundred - Oval Invincibles v Northern Superchargers

Match Summary

Oval Invincibles (Men) 158/7 (19.2 ov)

Northern Superchargers (Men) 157/7 (20 ov)

Result - Oval Invincibles (Men) won by 3 wickets

Sam Curran was the match-winner as he steered Oval Invincibles to a thrilling three-wicket victory over Northern Superchargers in the afternoon sunshine at a raucous Kia Oval.

Curran scored a scintillating 60 to see Invincibles home with three balls remaining, having being dropped on 46 by Adam Lyth in a moment that proved match defining.

Lyth himself had earlier been dropped on one, before registering the fastest fifty in the history of The Hundred, off just 17 balls. Exceptional bowling from the frugal Sunil Narine (three for 11) restricted Superchargers to 157 for seven.

It was a score that, thanks to Sam Curran’s pyrotechnics, proved too few. Jordan Cox (48 off 29) played an exceptional supporting role before Tom Curran (18 off 7) secured the victory for the home side in another breathless encounter in South London.

Lyth and Faf du Plessis had earlier opened for Superchargers, and the pressure was on with both batters having failed to score in their last outing.

Superchargers got off to a flyer, although lucky Lyth was handed a lifeline when he was dropped with just one run to his name. Invincibles paid the price as Lyth followed the drop with four consecutive sixes off Reece Topley, in a set that went for 25.

Du Plessis was dismissed by Sam Curran for nine to disrupt the Superchargers’ destruction, but not before they had amassed a mighty 47 runs from the powerplay.

Lyth continued to decimate the Invincibles’ bowling attack and eventually reached an electrifying 50 off 17 balls, the quickest half-century in the history of The Hundred.

A few further ferocious hits from Lyth took him to 79 before he was caught on the boundary off the bowling of Milnes.

Superchargers rode their luck with both Narine and Rilee Rossouw dropping straightforward catches, before the former made amends by dismissing Adam Hose and David Wiese in consecutive balls, as he finished with figures of three for 11. 

Narine’s heroics kickstarted a remarkable recovery from Invincibles who limited Superchargers to 157 off their hundred balls - a much lower figure than looked likely at one stage.

Invincibles’ reply got off to the worst possible start though when captain Roy’s miserable run of form rumbled on - he was dismissed without scoring by Ben Raine, who also took the wicket of Narine in the same set.

Jordan Cox entered the pitch at five for two and the 21-year-old batted maturely, hitting a series of stunning boundaries as he steered Invincibles to a competitive 65 at the halfway stage of their innings.

Cox and Sam Curran built some momentum for the home side, and the pair put on 67 together. The partnership finally came to an end when the impressive Cox was run-out for 48 after some electric fielding from du Plessis.

Sam Curran kept the momentum going though and produced some fireworks to delight the home fans, hitting a series of enormous sixes into the stands. He was then dropped on 44 by Lyth in a moment that ultimately defined the match.

The imperious Sam Curran eventually perished for 60 before brother Tom got the home side over the line with three balls to put Invincibles level on points with London Spirit at the top of the table.

By Cam Scott, ECB Hundred Rising Reporter, The Oval

Jordan Cox who scored 48  in the Invincibles'  successful run chase said: "it's been a close few games here but Sam (Curran ) batted very well and it was lucky we got the win. 

"It was a matter of me doing what the team needed really. The time-out we took probably ruined my momentum, but it was my fault I got out trying to take that single.

"I let Sam down by running myself out, but he's done very well. He showed his class tonight, but that is what he does. 

"It was pretty impressive striking by Adam Lyth for them and a pretty unbelievable start, but it was one of those where he eventually had to hit one in the air and he did.

"We felt their score was par and thought we could chase it and luckily we did."

The Women's Hundred - Oval Invincibles v Northern Superchargers

Match Summary

The Hundred Women's 1st Match: Oval Invincibles vs Northern Superchargers

Oval Invincibles (Women) 146/1 (16.4 ov)

Northern Superchargers (Women) 143/5 (20 ov)

Result - Oval Invincibles (Women) won by 9 wickets

Lauren Winfield-Hill haunted her former teammates as Oval Invincibles began their title defence with an emphatic 9-wicket win over Northern Superchargers in the first game of the 2022 women’s Hundred.

The former England opener plundered an unbeaten 74 from 42 balls with one six and 11 4s, sharing an opening stand of 104 with New Zealander Suzie Bates as the hosts cantered to a target of 144 with 16 balls to spare.

The successful chase came after Superchargers posted 143-5 courtesy of 51 from one of the stars of the 2021 Hundred Jemimah Rodrigues and 49 from Laura Wolvaardt, Ryana Macdonald-Gay the pick of the host’s attack with two for 25.

Alyssa Healy, fresh from her gold medal at the Commonwealth games got Superchargers off to an explosive start after they were invited to bat first, clearing the ropes as she plundered 14 from the first set of five from Mady Villiers.

The fun though didn’t last long as she lofted spinner Sophia Smale’s third ball to Alice Capsey at mid-off and the England starlet was soon in the action again with ball in hand, dismissing Beth Heath cheaply

Thereafter Rodrigues took centre-stage, sweeping powerfully, but also playing the cut shot with great finesse.

She would find a willing ally in South Africa’s Wolvaardt who survived a close call for a stumping and a rapid ball from Shabnim Ismail as the duo shared a fourth-wicket stand of 66.

Rodrigues reached 50 from 31 balls with a glorious late cut only to hole out next ball off the impressive Macdonald-Gay and Superchargers went 20 balls without a boundary before some late blows from Wolvaardt took them to a seemingly imposing score.

Bates and Winfield-Hill though set about the chase with relish, the former striking Lucy Higham for successive fours, while the latter clouted a short one from Beth Langston over the ropes.

New Zealander Bates was given a life on 10 when Katie Levick shelled the simplest of catches off the bowling of Linsey Smith and as if one reprieve wasn’t enough Bates was missed again in the next set when Jenny Gunn failed to cling on to a tough caught and bowled.

Scares survived the pair forged on reaching 69-0 at halfway and the strategic time out did little to dent their momentum, Bates sweeping Davidson-Richards behind square for six.

Winfield-Hill matched Rodrigues in reaching 50 in 31 balls and with Bates  now in full flow the 100-stand was raised.

It took a superb catch by Wolvaardt off Gunn to remove Bates for 46 and break the stand, but Capsey was then dropped first ball, albeit a difficult chance.

It proved Superchargers’ last hope as Capsey joined in the fun with a rapid 25 from just eight balls to complete a dominant win.

 

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