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On their day, Oval Invincibles are some outfit. Not that tonight was totally their day; Welsh Fire captain Ben Duckett reached 65 and their batting slowed up midway through chasing 122.
But with Saqib Mahmood displaying the pace and seam which won him plaudits against Pakistan for England, and the likes of Will Jacks going on the offensive at the top, this is certainly a talented side.
It was Sam Billings who picked up the tab to anchor his side home with an assured 40 to top off his team’s fine bowling display which restricted Fire to a below-par score.
Sam Billings (left) celebrates Oval Invincibles victory over Welsh Fire with Laurie Evans
The Fire line-up was already looking thin without England-bound Jonny Bairstow, and the absences of Lungi Ngidi and Liam Plunkett — due to personal reasons and injury respectively — further ripped out the side’s core.
Domestic players Matt Milnes and Graeme White replaced the duo in the squad, with Milnes earning a start tonight. His hasty inclusion aptly reflected by the pace bowler having no profile picture among his squad on the Hundred website.
Fire got off to stodgy start with the bat, losing both Tom Banton and Josh Cobb in the first 15 balls.
England hopeful Banton stepped down the wicket to a Reece Topley length ball, only to miscue to Mahmood at mid-off. Cobb was rather unfortunate as he succumbed to Topley getting a finger or two to deflect the ball at the stumps as he followed
