OVI VS TRT MATCH 29

Right then, we have the first finalist of The Hundred 2023! It is Oval Invincibles with this win and on Tuesday at Headingley we have Northern Superchargers going up against Welsh Fire. It is a double-header day again and first up, we will have women’s team starting off their game at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT) and then the men team will begin their game at 11 pm IST (5.30 pm GMT). Do join us for the build-up of both the games. Cheers!

Sam Billings is the HERO OF THE MATCH. He says that it has been a while to get back to form. He added that he settled on the ground and then played to his strength. Mentions that he tried not to put much pressure on himself and that he feels amazing to play the finals at Lord's next week. He adds that it was a team effort. States that the Oval is the best place for white ball cricket and thanks the crowd for supporting them throughout. Applauds Spencer and Gus Atkinson for amazing bowling and reckoned that they have improved drastically.

Trent Rockets would feel that let themselves down with the bat. They did not get the best of the starts and though Munro-Gregory batted well, they could not carry on to get a big score. On the bowling front, Luke Wood and Daniel Sams were good and picked three wickets between them which came on consecutive deliveries. Sams picked two of them but they just could not stem the run flow in the middle overs and were outpowered by a strong Oval Invincibles unit.

Oval Invincibles brought in Gus Atkinson back in this game and he showed his class in the Powerplay with a wicket of Hales. Rest of the bowlers were good too, especially, Adam Zampa with his two wickets and that restricted Trent Rockets to 148 - a total that seemed a bit below par. In reply Roy and Jacks started off briskly but Oval lost three wickets in consecutive deliveries, reducing them to 21-3. However, Sam Billings, the skipper of Oval Invincibles joined Jacks and started smashing it right from the onset. His 73-run partnership with Jacks brought Oval back in the game and though Jacks and Neesham lost their wickets in quick intervals after that, Billings stayed unbeaten on 76 with Tom Curran alongside and guided his team to a victory.

Oval Invincibles storm into the final of The Hundred 2023! The captain Sam Billings has led from the front and it has been a knock of the highest quality. The Invincibles have been absolutely brilliant throughout the tournament and have been clinical yet again in this game. The home crowd is absolutely ecstatic while Trent Rockets will have to wait for other results to go their way now if they want to qualify for the knockouts.

SIX! Game-Set-Match! Sam Billings deservingly finishes things off for his side and in style! Ish Sodhi floats this up around leg, Sam Billings skips down the track and uses his long handle to whip it towards the deep mid-wicket fence where the fielder runs to his left but only to watch it sail over his head for a maximum. Oval Invincibles win by 5 wickets!

Short and outside off, Tom Curran cuts it towards deep point for a single.

Back of a length and on off, Sam Billings chops it onto the pitch as the ball rolls behind him.

Short again and on middle, Sam Billings slaps it hard and wide of deep mid-wikcet this time where Sam Hain dives to his left to make another good stop. Two runs taken. Oval Invincibles one hit away from the win now!

Short and on middle, Sam Billings pulls it wide of deep square leg where Luke Wood runs to his left and dives to make a fine stop. The batters take two runs.

FOUR! That is the boundary that gets them closer to the target! It is Sam Billings again! Daniel Sams bowsl the slower one, full and around off, Sam Billings picks it up and waits for it to drill it wide of long off for a boundary. 9 runs needed in 13 balls now!

Short and on middle, Tom Curran pulls it wide of deep square leg for a single.

On a length and on middle, Sam Billings clips it nicely towards deep mid-wicket for just one.

Touch fuller and around leg, Tom Curran nugdes it towards short fine leg for a run.

Lewis Gregory bangs in a sharp bouncer this time, on middle, Tom Curran moves across to hook it away but misses and falls over in the process as well.

FOUR! Two in two! A crucial boundary for Oval Invincibles! Lewis Gregory lands this short and on middle, Tom Curran gets on top of the bounce and hammers it towards the deep mid-wicket fence for four more runs.