Sam Curran the difference as defending champions Oval Invincibles win again

Curran wins the player of the match award after taking 3 for 21 and scoring an unbeaten half-century in the successful chase

ECB Media | 18/08/2025 at 21:14

Southampton: Southern Brave 133, Oval Invincibles 134-3 - Oval Invincibles won by seven wickets

An all-action display from Sam Curran and another eye-catching half-century from Jordan Cox eased reigning champions Oval Invincibles to a seven-wicket win over Southern Brave and extended their lead at the top of the table.

Set 134 to win, the Invincibles lost their openers cheaply, Will Jacks and Tawanda Muyeye both falling to Craig Overton, but Cox continued his red-hot form with a classy 37-ball 56, and Curran capped a fine all-round performance by making an unbeaten 50 from 32 deliveries.

Cox fell to Tymal Mills with 15 still required, but captain Sam Billings struck three boundaries to ensure there were no further alarms as the visitors sealed the win with 11 balls to spare, their fourth victory in five.

The Invincibles overcame the Brave in last year's final, and they made an impressive start at Utilita Bowl, Aussie left-armer Jason Behrendorff making early inroads when he had both James Vince and Leus du Plooy caught at short third by Tom Curran, who then knocked back Laurie Evans' off stump to leave the Brave 32 for 3.

Things went from bad to worse for the hosts when Rashid Khan (3 for 20) was thrown the ball.

Six days ago, the Afghan leggie returned figures of 0 for 59 at Edgbaston, but he was irrepressible against the Brave, striking three times in his opening set without conceding a run to send Jason Roy, Michael Bracewell and James Coles on their way. Those scalps took Rashid to a competition-high haul of 10 in The Hundred this summer.

With the Brave sinking fast at 44 for 6, Hilton Cartwright and Jordan Thompson counter-attacked, the latter making a sprightly 13-ball 24 before nicking off to Sam Curran, who then castled Cartwright (42 off 30) with a pinpoint yorker.

Curran (3 for 21) struck again to dismiss Jofra Archer with a super-slow delivery before Mills was the last man out, run out by the livewire Curran, to end the Brave's innings on 133 from 98 balls, not enough to prevent last year's runners-up slumping to a third straight defeat.