The Hundred 2024: Oval Invincibles cling on to remain unbeaten

Although they only posted 113 for 9, Invincibles' stellar bowling unit tore through Welsh Fire, with the hosts never looking like chasing down the modest total

Cardiff: Oval Invincibles 113-9, Welsh Fire 103-8 - Oval Invincibles win by 10 runs

In a match dominated by the ball, Oval Invincibles made it two from two, beating Welsh Fire by 10 runs in an exciting encounter in Cardiff.

Although they only posted 113 for 9, Invincibles' stellar bowling unit tore through Fire, with the hosts never looking like chasing down the modest total.

Leg-spinners Nathan Sowter (2 for 12) and Adam Zampa (3 for 24) starred for the defending champions, with the latter picking up his second Meerkat Match Hero award in as many games.

Asked to bat by Welsh Fire captain Tom Abell, Invincibles lost Dawid Malan almost immediately as he flicked David Willey to midwicket. Will Jacks and Tawanda Muyeye responded well in the powerplay, but Fire's talented seam arsenal stuck to their task.

Jacks fell victim to Josh Little, finding the hands of Mason Crane on the long square leg boundary (25), and Jake Ball and Willey removed Sam Billings and Muyeye respectively to leave the Invincibles struggling at 58 for 4 at the halfway mark.

Donovan Ferreira (30) and Sam Curran (20) provided some resistance in the face of the Fire onslaught, but Invincibles never really got going, with wickets continuing to fall at regular intervals, and Ball ending as the pick of the bowlers taking 3 for 24.

^{Welsh Fire fell 10 runs short (ECB/Getty Images)}

Defending 113 was always going to be a tough ask for Invincibles, 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 cleaned him up a couple of balls later.

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

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

Meerkat Match Hero Adam Zampa, said: "It was important to start well. We needed some early wickets to get momentum going into the middle overs and the way that Spencer (Johnson) and Saqy (Mahmood) bowled was superb. It was really exciting to watch from mid-off.

"Me and Sowts (Sowter) have to play different roles throughout and me bowling more towards the back end with the run rate going up is when I can get into my work. There wasn't much pace in the wicket, there was a bit of spin if you gave it some. It was hard to score on it throughout the game."

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