The Timeline: Oval Invincibles Men v Manchester Originals Men - Sam Billings leads home side to win

Having been put into bat first, the Invincibles' star-studded top order initially wobbled, but a middle-order fueled by Sam Billings gave them a score that they defended excellently with the ball in hand, led by the Curran brothers

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Scorecard

Oval Invincibles' men's side joined the women's team in winning their opening game of The Hundred in front of an excitable crowd at The Oval.

We don't quite know what is considered "par" for 100-ball cricket, but we're starting to learn. The Invincibles recovered well from a nervy start as Sam Billings led the charge to 145. 

Manchester Originals were left chasing the run rate early, as the Invincibles bowled smartly and fielded efficiently. Every dismissal was a catch, as the Curran brothers, Sunil Narine and Nathan Sowter got in on the act. Carlos Brathwaite was, despite his big-hitting potential, left with too much to do.

The Originals won the toss and elected to take the field first.

Ball 4: Up, up and away! Sam Curran defended the first to get himself in, but made up for it second ball, smacking Tom Hartley back over his head and into the stands for a maximum. 7-0

Ball 5: Bowled ‘im!  What a comeback from Hartley. It’s a quicker ball this time, and Curran is left foxed. The turn beats his bat and his off-stump is dislodged. A dangerous man gone. 7-1

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Sam Curran had to walk back far earlier than he'd have liked after being bowled

Ball 14: Out! Lbw - and that’s the end of the dangerous Sunil Narine. An inswinger from the left-armer Klaasen, swing and a miss, strikes the pads. The finger goes up and Narine opts against the review… but Hawkeye shows us it was going on to miss leg stump! 16-2 

Ball 23: In the air... and taken! What a catch to dismiss Jason Roy! The opener looks to smack Hartley into the legside. Tom Lammonby races forward from deep midwicket to dive towards the ball, and a brief review from the third umpire confirms there was no grass involved. Great start for the visitors. 32-3

Ball 32: Will Jacks slogs for six! There’s always a bit of doubt when looking to play over long-off as it’s one of the deepest at The Oval, but the right-hander had enough on that to make sure the fielder on the edge was helpless. 48-3

Ball 34: And Parkinson get his man! Will Jacks looks for another big shot and attempts the sweep. Jos Buttler yells “catch!” from behind the stumps, and Steven Finn is perfectly positioned to make the grab. Job to do for the middle-order here. 48-4

Ball 46: Not out on review! Billings chases a wider delivery from Matt Parkinson and Jos Buttler feels there was a scrape. The umpire agrees, but it’s sent upstairs quickly - where ultra-edge shows a flat line. 59-4

Ball 49: Swept into the stands by Billings! He’s waited to get going here, knowing that his side need a partnership, but Steven Finn presents him with the perfect opportunity to get onto his knee and fire it into the leg side for six. 67-4

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Sam Billings gets his second maximum to the crowd's delight

Ball 69: It's that man again for six - and brings up the Invincibles' 100! Spin bowler Calvin Harrison knew about the signature sweep but couldn't stop it. It floats in the air but has enough length to sail over the boundary. 101-4

Ball 71: Out - Steven Finn dismisses Colin Ingram. He had much more liberty to go for the big shots with 30 balls remaining, and doesn't get the contact he'd like as he slogs, looping back over to short third where Carlos Brathwaite turns and grabs, using his height to stop it from just going over him. 105-5

Ball 73: Two wickets in three balls for Finn! It's Laurie Evans who just lasts two balls. Finn puts it on a length and offers the big shot, who drags it to Phil Salt at mid-off who jumps into the catch 105-6

Ball 87: Billings is dismissed one shy of his half-century. This time, Fred Klaasen is back into the action, and cleverly goes for the slower ball. Billings takes the bait and holes out to Joe Clarke on the ring. A crucial innings for the hosts comes to an end. 127-7

Ball 89: Four then out for Nathan Sowter - the Australian got off the mark comfortably as he punched through the covers for four, but on his second ball drags Klaasen's delivery onto his pads first, then the stumps. 131-8

Ball 96: Tom Curran goes with the cheeky "natmeg" for a couple!  A nifty crowd-pleasing move named after Nat Sciver, the older Curran brother takes a length ball and plays it between his own legs and through midwicket for a couple. Stylish! 139-8

 

The Originals will be happy overall with that bowling performance, and will require 146 runs to get off to a winning start.

Ball 5: Early breakthrough for the Originals! It’s that man Sam Curran again, and a smart change of pace brings with it the wicket of Phil Salt, who holes out to Colin Ingram. He called it instantly and got under the high, looping shot right away to hold nicely. 4-1

Ball 21: Topley gets the ball and a wicket with his first delivery! Joe Clarke's stay at the crease is short lived as he goes for what looked to be a scoop shot, but only finds the edge, travelling into Sam Billings' gloves.  24-2

Ball 22: Almost two-for-two, but Munro survives a review! This looked good from Topley, swinging in and striking the New Zealand batsman flat on the pads. Umpire Robinson quickly lifts his finger, and after a discussion between Munro and Buttler goes upstairs - where a clear spike is shown. 24-2

Ball 33: Buttler switches it for four brilliantly. A reverse sweep - and it wasn't even a bad delivery from Narine, just great creativity and power to beat the fielders on the leg side for a boundary. 41-2

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Jos Buttler uses his experience to pick out a boundary on the sweep

Ball 34: But now Buttler must go! Big wicket! Narine tosses this up on middle, and the turn foxes Buttler who is caught in two minds. A thick edge flies straight to cover where no mistake is made. 41-3

Ball 40: Munro smashes this one into the stands! Will Jacks will be annoyed at where he put that, perfectly inviting the big one, and there's height and speed of equal measure to put this over long-on. 50-3

Ball 41: Sowter in, and Lammonby out! The leg-spinner, who usually plies his trade at Lord's for Middlesex, has got off to a perfect start. The 21-year-old batsman looks dismayed that he's fallen for this one, trying to manouevre his feet for a big one but can't quite, holing out to cover where Colin Ingram gets his second grab. 50-4

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Ball 60: Munro goes - and what a spell this is for the Invincibles. The last four 'fives' have seen a low strike rate and plenty of dots, and they've topped it off with the dismissal of the dangerman. 69-5

Ball 66: How about that from Calvin Harrison?! This is a creative shot for a much needed boundary. Topley bowls one a touch wider and Harrison reacts quickly, turning around and firing down the leg-side for four. The run rate starting to creep out of control for the Originals - they'll want more of that. 78-5

Ball 82: Bang! This is Carlos Brathwaite time! Tom Curran puts this in on a length, and the West Indies international takes half a step back and leans into the shot, which absolutely sails over long-on for a crucial six. Game on. 106-5

Ball 89: Another four from Harrison - and this one's getting close. Bowler Sam Curran looked annoyed as soon as it left the batsman, and it travels cleanly through the leg-side for four. 27 off 11 needed. 119-5

Ball 91: Got him! Sam bowls, Tom catches. Harrison will be annoyed that he couldn't go the distance, but on a full toss meets the delivery with the toe of the bat. Tom Curran at mid-off makes no mistake and snags it on the dive and the brothers hi-five. On Brathwaite for a miracle now. 122-6

Ball 95: Sam Curran gets Brathwaite - and that should do. It's a good length from Curran who is met with a slog over to long-on, and it initially looks good, but falls short, and Jason Roy is delighted to get the simple catch, as is the local crowd. 127-7

Ball 98: A no-ball! Misses the strip for a wide, as well, but the resulting free-hit is met with a perfect yorker. That'll do! 131-7

"We just had to get a score on the board", Sam Billings said. "You definitely want, 150, 160 on a good pitch, but today we're probably there because it was on the slower side". 

Asked about The Oval, the Match Hero added: "I think they're a very partisan crowd here! The support was phenomenal - an unbelievable atmosphere."

Oval Invincibles 145 off 100 balls, 13 4s, 4 6s

Manchester Originals 136 off 100 balls, 12 4s, 2 6s

Oval Invincibles won

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