The Hundred 2024: Sam Curran dominates London Spirit

A half-century and a hat-trick help deliver a third win in four for defending champions Oval Invincibles

ECB Media | 04/08/2024 at 18:10

Lord's: Oval Invincibles 145-9, London Spirit 117 - match tied

Oval Invincibles made it three wins from four in The Hundred with Sam Curran's all-round heroics proving the difference between two sides fighting it out for bragging rights in the capital.

Curran smashed 51 from 22 balls, single-handedly dragging the Invincibles to a strong total on a tricky surface before decimating the Spirit's hopes of chasing 147 in an astonishing five-wicket spell that included a hat-trick.

On a Lord's pitch offering a degree of lateral movement, Invincibles' captain Sam Billings chose to bat first, and with the Spirit's attack making good use of the bowler-friendly surface, the visitors struggled to 46 for 2 at the halfway stage. Olly Stone bowled Will Jacks through the gate and Liam Dawson dismissed Jordan Cox, who was fresh off his call-up to the England men's Test squad.

Dawid Malan and Billings then struck a few hefty blows before Malan was caught on the square-leg boundary off Matt Critchley for 38 from 29.

Billings struggled to get going and retired himself out in favour of the in-form Donovan Ferreira, but it was Curran who turned the tide, reaching a half-century off 21 deliveries, including three successive sixes off Nathan Ellis. His innings propelled the Invincibles to a decent-looking 147 for 5.

russella040801

Andre Russell hit a flurry of late boundaries but Spirit were defeated (ECB via Getty Images)

In response, the Spirit made it through the powerplay unscathed, Keaton Jennings and Michael Pepper guiding them to 35 without loss.

But thereafter the Invincibles' top-notch spin attack turned the screw, with both openers and Ollie Pope falling in quick succession; Jacks removing Jennings lbw, Adam Zampa having Pepper caught with the first ball of his spell, and Nathan Sowter crashing a leg breakthrough Pope's defences.

Dan Lawrence and Shimron Hetmyer dragged the Spirit back into it and with 56 needed from the final 30 balls, the game was on. But before they could up the ante, Zampa, who ended with figures of 3 for 22, dismissed both Hetmyer (20 from 21) and Lawrence (27 from 18).

Despite Andre Russell attempting to bludgeon the hosts home, Curran made the Invincibles win a certainty by taking only the third hat-trick in the history of The Hundred men's competition to clinch one of the tournament's greatest individual performances.