Oval Invincibles Crush Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred Opener
Oval Invincibles began their defence of The Hundred men's competition in dominant fashion, securing an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Birmingham Phoenix at the Kia Oval.
Phoenix struggled from the outset, collapsing to 10-4 within just 17 balls due to poor shot selection. Saqib Mahmood and Mohammad Amir capitalized on the shaky start, each taking two wickets to put the visitors on the back foot.
Rishi Patel (25), Benny Howell (24), and Jacob Bethell (22) were the only Phoenix batsmen to reach double figures as they attempted to salvage the innings. However, the relentless bowling attack of the Invincibles restricted Phoenix to a meager total of 89, with 19 balls remaining unplayed. Spinner Adam Zampa led the charge with impressive figures of 3-11.
In response, Tawanda Muyeye's brisk 24 provided the Invincibles with a strong start. Despite losing Muyeye and Will Jacks to Tim Southee, who ended with figures of 2-20, the Phoenix bowlers failed to make further breakthroughs.
Invincibles captain Sam Billings and opener Dawid Malan steered their team to victory comfortably, remaining unbeaten on 31 and 24 respectively. The hosts chased down the target in just 69 balls, marking a comprehensive start to their campaign.
The win positions the Oval Invincibles strongly in the early stages of the competition, while Birmingham Phoenix will need to reassess and regroup after a disappointing performance.
Scorecard:
Birmingham Phoenix: 89 (81 balls)
- Patel 25 (24)
- Zampa 3-11
Oval Invincibles: 93-2 (69 balls)
- Billings 31* (28)
- Southee 2-20
Result: Oval Invincibles win by eight wickets
With this decisive win, the Oval Invincibles have set a high standard for their title defence in The Hundred men's competition.
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