Defending champions Oval Invincibles continue good start to this year’s Hundred

Oval Invincibles made it two wins from two matches in the Hundred, beating Welsh Fire by 10 runs in an exciting encounter which was dominated by the ball.

Although they only posted 113 for nine in Cardiff, the Invincibles’ stellar bowling unit tore through the Fire, with the hosts never looking like chasing down the modest total.

Leg-spinners Nathan Sowter (two wickets for 12 runs) and Adam Zampa (three for 24) starred for the defending champions.

The Invincibles, asked to bat first, lost Dawid Malan almost immediately as he flicked David Willey to midwicket.

Will Jacks and Tawanda Muyeye responded well in the powerplay but the Welsh Fire’s talented seam arsenal stuck to their task. Jacks was caught by Mason Crane on the long square leg boundary and Jake Ball and Willey removed Sam Billings and Muyeye respectively to leave the Invincibles struggling at 58 for four at halfway.

Resistance

Donovan Ferreira (30 from 23) and Sam Curran (20 from 21) provided some resistance in the face of the Fire onslaught but the Invincibles never really got going, with wickets continuing to fall at regular intervals. Ball was the pick of the bowlers with three for 24.

Defending 113 was always going to be a tough ask for the visitors and it was made all the more so when Jonny Bairstow was dropped on four by Harrison Ward off the bowling of Saqib Mahmood. Fortunately for Ward, Australian Spencer Johnson dismissed him a couple of balls later.

After Curran bowled Joe Clarke with the first ball of his spell, the Invincibles spinners came to the fore. Zampa continued his good form, picking up the wickets of captain Tom Abell, Tom Kohler-Cadmore (22 from 33) and Willey, while Sowter removed Glenn Phillips and Luke Wells.

Some lusty hitting from David Payne (28 from 15) and Crane took the game to the final few balls, but Curran held his nerve to secure the win.