Match Centre

Statistics

Best performances - Batsmen

EJG Morgan
EJG Morgan
47(29) 5x4 - 3x6
Control %62%
  • Productive Shot
  • slog shot
  • 12 runs
  • 1x4 - 1x6
0 8 1 5 2 14 6 11
HWR Cartwright
HWR Cartwright
42(23) 3x4 - 2x6
Control %65%
  • Productive Shot
  • cut shot
  • 11 runs
  • 2x4 - 0x6
4 0 8 7 9 2 2 10

Best performances - Bowlers

NT Ellis
NT Ellis
O4
M0
R28
W3
Eco7.00
RHB
OFFLEG
1W1W
1W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
SP Narine
SP Narine
O4
M0
R25
W2
Eco6.25
RHB
OFFLEG
1W
1W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF

Scorer: M Venkat Raghav | Commentator: Hemant Brar & Ekanth

END OF OVER:
20 | 13 Runs | OI-M: 168/7 (4 runs required, RR: 8.40)

  • Sunil Narine9 (7b)
  • Danny Briggs29 (11b)
  • Jordan Thompson3.5-0-31-2
  • Chris Wood3.5-0-44-0

This game felt like it was in schrodinger's box, for most of it the Spirit had the life. But with unforced errors and risks coming off, Oval Invincibles made their way back to give a scare. As Billings said, there was rustiness. But Spirit didn't retain the discipline in the end after embodying it for most of the game. Hopefully, this is a sign of the tournament heating up, on its way to become cricket's rooin'est, tootin'est thing. On that omenly note, it's goodbye from me, Ekanth, on behalf of my co-commentator, Hemant Brar, and our scorers, Chandan Duorah and M Venkat Raghav.

Sam Billings, Oval Invincibles Captain: Credit has to go to the guys at the bottom of the order. Getting a partnership is crucial. We played terribly to be honest but came back well. A bit of rustiness cost us. We were 12 for 4 but to take it to the last ball was great. Hopefully, this was the one bad performance of the top order out the way. The no balls were massive, we bowled at least an extra set. The rhythm of the game was quick and we need to keep up with the game. I am far and, sometimes, need to run up which can be tough. So, the bowler at mid-off can help, Sam Curran's done that well. The atmosphere was great as the crowd got right behind us.

Eoin Morgan, London Spirit captain: I love games like that. It teaches how the players cope under pressure, it's great to be on the right side of the result. It's not easy after being put in to bat, Oval lured us in with the crowd. They came back well. Players delivering what they commit to is what I look for. It's difficult for a bowler, but it's made easier if you make good decisions and commit to them. On the last ball, we wanted to go wide and get it away from the swing. We did not get it right but are happy with the win. It felt close to an international game because of the tension and the pressure, young Jordan Thompson, Ellis, et al were amazing. I've played a lot of golf, that might be the secret (laughs). I was rusty, took one in the gut. I was sitting on the short ball, pull or deflect it.

Nathan Ellis, POTM: It was a carnage, no better way to start than with a close game. Unreal atmosphere, it was fast-paced and great. Luck, timing's helped recently. It's happened quickly and I'm trying to sponge it up. I don't know if I deserve it but I'll take it as it comes. In the lead-up, Morgan has been a calming influence and I'm leaning on him already.

9:27 pm: London Spirit get a predictable win but not after a scare as Cox, Curran, and Briggs breathed life back into a dormant game. The top-four were dismissed four single-figure scores. There was a dry period in for a while. What followed the innings' equivalent of a midlife crisis was a middle and lower-middle order resurgence that sprung the game back to life. London withstood the fightback, only just, to defend their score and seal the game by a whisker.

19.5
1lb
Thompson to Narine, 1 leg bye, London do it! The keeper holds his nerve by diving to his right and stopping the ball. It wasn't going fast though, the yorker on leg missed the flick, hit the pad and dribbled away.
19.5
1w
Thompson to Narine, 1 wide, It's length and down leg! Beats Narine's swing but it's wide. Narine tried to help it fine with a pull.

Six off one, the crowd goes on an anticipatory roar. Long-on and off are back.

19.4
1
Thompson to Briggs, 1 run, Yorker-length at off. Drills a cover drive, straight to the fielder in the deep.

Tie is a tie, no super five. That's only in the knockouts.

19.3
2
Thompson to Briggs, 2 runs, Driven, it goes square but plugs away as deep cover runs to his left and stops it. This was full, outside off.
19.2
4
Thompson to Briggs, FOUR, Over Pollard at mid-off and it's four more! This was full at the stumps, lofted off the bottom but enough to go over Pollard, who was running to his right, but he overran it and it popped out.
19.1
4
Thompson to Briggs, FOUR, Another edge, beats the diving keeper to his right and goes to the fence! This was full, just outside off. Briggs looked to lift it over mid-off but the edge was in his favour.

17 off 5 needed, should still be London's game unless an over similar to the last is bowled.

Invincibles 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st0JJ RoyWG Jacks
2nd10SM CurranWG Jacks
3rd1SW BillingsWG Jacks
4th1SW BillingsJM Cox
5th74HWR CartwrightJM Cox
6th30TK CurranJM Cox
7th7SP NarineTK Curran
8th45SP NarineDR Briggs