Image: Sam Curran's brilliant performance in the match against Southern Brave / © ESPNCricinfo
The Southern Brave walked out to bat at The Rose Bowl in Southampton, ready to take on the Oval Invincibles in the Hundred Men’s Competition, and the match proved to be an exciting one for the fans.
James Vince, the captain, and Leus du Plooy opened the batting, hoping to give their side a flying start. They showed some intent, but the Invincibles’ bowlers came out swinging, keeping things tight. Vince, usually so reliable, couldn’t get his timing right and scratched around for 7 runs off 7 balls before Jason Behrendorff got him. Tom Curran took a sharp catch at mid-off, and just like that, the Brave were 12 for 1 after 10 balls. Du Plooy, on the other hand, looked like he was in the mood, smashing a four and a huge six in his 13 off 7 balls. But Behrendorff struck again, getting him caught by Curran, and suddenly the Brave were wobbling at 23 for 2 after 16 balls. The powerplay, which should’ve been their chance to pile on runs, felt flat.
The middle order had a mountain to climb, and the Invincibles’ bowlers, led by the brilliant Rashid Khan, turned the screws. Laurie Evans, the keeper, tried to steady things with a quick 8 off 7 balls, cracking a couple of boundaries to get the crowd buzzing. But Tom Curran bowled a peach to clean him up, leaving the Brave at 34 for 3. Then came Jason Roy, the big gun everyone expected to take charge. Roy, though, looked out of sorts, managing just 5 runs off 11 balls before Rashid Khan got him. Sam Billings pouched the catch, and at 42 for 4 after 37 balls, the Brave were in all sorts of trouble.
Rashid Khan wasn’t done. He bowled Michael Bracewell for a duck on the next ball with a wicked googly that left the batter clueless. Then, James Coles, who’d scratched out 7 off 6 balls, got pinned lbw by Khan after the Invincibles called for a review that went their way. At 44 for 6 after 40 balls, the Brave were staring down the barrel, their top order blown away and the scoreboard barely moving. The Invincibles were all over them, with Rashid’s spin causing havoc. Hilton Cartwright was the one bright spot in this mess. He dug in, playing a proper batsman’s knock, scoring 42 off 30 balls with four fours and a six.
He found an ally in Jordan Thompson, who went for it, blasting 24 off 13 balls with three fours and a six. Together, they put on 37 runs for the seventh wicket, dragging the Brave past 50 in 45 balls and giving the fans something to cheer about. But just when it looked like they might rebuild, Thompson got carried away and holed out to Billings off Sam Curran’s bowling. The score was 81 for 7 after 63 balls, and the fightback was losing steam.
Cartwright kept going, pushing the Brave past 100 in 77 balls, but the tail couldn’t hang around. Craig Overton got it out for an unbeaten 9 off 11 balls, showing some grit, while Jofra Archer chipped in with a quick 5 off 3 balls before Donovan Ferreira caught him off Sam Curran. The innings ended in chaos when Tymal Mills was run out for 4 off 2 balls, leaving the Brave all out for 133 in 98 balls.
The Invincibles’ bowlers were on fire. Sam Curran and Rashid Khan led the charge with three wickets each, Curran with 3 for 21 in 18 balls and Khan with a brilliant 3 for 20 in 20. Behrendorff backed them up with 2 for 20, and Tom Curran grabbed 1 for 37. They bowled 38 dot balls and gave away just 7 wides, strangling the Brave’s scoring. Cartwright and Thompson’s efforts aside, 133 felt light, but it was still a total that could challenge the Invincibles if the Brave bowled well.
Chasing 134, the Oval Invincibles knew they had to play smart against a Southern Brave attack boasting Jofra Archer and Craig Overton. Top of the table and full of confidence, they were favorites, but the Brave weren’t going to roll over easily. The chase got off to a rocky start, and for a moment, it looked like the Brave might make it a contest.
Will Jacks was gone for just 1 off 4 balls, caught by Archer off Overton’s bowling in the 5th ball. That was a massive early blow. Tawanda Muyeye followed soon after, making 9 off 9 balls before Overton got him too, with Archer taking another catch. At 18 for 2 after 17 balls, the Invincibles were feeling the heat, and the powerplay limped to just 27 runs. The Brave’s bowlers were fired up, and the crowd was right behind them.
Enter Jordan Cox and Sam Curran, who turned the game on its head. Cox was pure class, smashing 56 off 37 balls with seven fours and two sixes. He picked gaps like it was nothing, keeping the scoreboard moving. Curran played the perfect foil, staying cool and finishing unbeaten on 50 off 32 balls, with four fours and two sixes. Their third-wicket partnership was a thing of beauty as 101 runs in 64 balls that took the game away from the Brave.
The Invincibles hit 50 in 33 balls, and by the strategic timeout at 40 balls, they were 58 for 2, with Cox on 27 and Curran on 18. After the break, they kicked it up a gear. Cox reached his fifty off 33 balls, all timing and power, while Curran got his off 32 balls, mixing caution with aggression. They cruised past 100 in 69 balls, and the required rate was never a worry. The Brave’s bowlers couldn’t find a way through. Craig Overton was the best of them, taking 2 for 21 in 20 balls, but Jofra Archer, despite bowling tightly with 0 for 19 in 20, didn’t get a wicket. Tymal Mills had a tough day, leaking 37 runs in 15 balls for just one wicket, Cox, caught by Cartwright in the 81st ball, breaking the big partnership. By then, the Invincibles needed only 15 runs off 19 balls, and it was almost over.
Sam Billings came in and sealed the deal, smashing 13 not out off 7 balls with three fours. The Invincibles finished the job in 89 balls, reaching 134 for 3 to win by 7 wickets with 11 balls to spare. The Brave’s other bowlers, like Jordan Thompson (0 for 31) and James Coles (0 for 16), couldn’t make the breakthroughs, and their 20 dot balls weren’t enough to stop the flow. Cox and Curran’s fifties and their massive partnership were the difference, with Curran’s all-round show earning him the Player of the Match. The Invincibles played it cool, shook off the early nerves, and cruised to a win that kept them firmly on top of the Hundred table.
The moment that flipped this match was Rashid Khan’s unreal spell during the Brave’s innings. He bowled 20 balls of pure magic, finishing with 3 for 20. His googlies and tight lines ripped through the Brave, getting big names like Jason Roy, Michael Bracewell, and James Coles in a flash. By the time he was done, the Brave were 44 for 6 after 40 balls, their batting in ruins.
Rashid bowled 10 dot balls and kept things to a run a ball, squeezing the life out of the innings. With Sam Curran’s 3 for 21 and Behrendorff’s 2 for 20 backing him up, Rashid’s spell was the game-changer, a masterclass in spin that set up the Invincibles’ victory.
Sam Curran was the guy who stole the show for the Oval Invincibles. His unbeaten 50 off 32 balls, with four fours and two sixes, was a proper match-winner. Coming in at 18 for 2 after 17 balls, he held his nerve and, alongside Jordan Cox’s 56, put on a 101-run stand that killed the game. He paced his innings perfectly, mixing solid defense with big shots.
Add to that his 3 for 21 with the ball, and a true all-round performance. Curran stayed cool, saw the chase home with Billings, and walked away with the Player of the Match award, cementing his status as the day’s hero.