On a mission to defend their title from the previous inaugural edition, the Oval Invincibles have gotten a step closer as they’ve made it to the knockouts with a game in hand. The same reflects the consistency that has helped the side get to where they today are and below is a detailed run on their ongoing edition.
Match – 1
Northern Supercharges: 143/5 (100)
Oval Invincibles: 146/1 (84)
Supercharges put in to bat first recovered from the few early wickets as Jemimah Rodrigues and Laura Wolvaardt bailed the team out of trouble and posted a challenging 143 in 100 balls. Invincibles had Ryana Gay with a couple of wickets lead the wickets tally and then in reply took on the run chase with complete ease. Lauren Winfield-Hill and Suzie Bates got the team off to a flyer and when the latter on 46(34) departed, Alice Capsey on her 18th birthday walked to the middle. Lauren Winfield-Hill remained unbeaten on 74(42) and Alice Capsey having struck 4 consecutive boundaries finished unbeaten on 25(8). Oval Invincibles got to the required with 16 balls and 9 wickets to spare announcing their intentions loud and clear.
Match – 2
Southern Brave: 153/8 (100)
Oval Invincibles: 141/7 (100)
Oval Invincibles again opting to chase this time around had a much more competitive total to chase down as scores of 46(25) and 24(16) from blades of Smriti Mandhana and Freya Kemp respectively with the rest of the batter chipping in had the team post 153 on board. Sophia Smale on a good run registered stunning figures off 20 balls with a couple of wickets, conceding only 12 runs and bowling the same amount of dots (12). Invincibles had their top 4 dismissed on starts and the middle order collapse worsened their hold on the game. Eva and Ryana scored crucial runs down the order but didn’t prove enough as the team fell 12 short of the required closing out on 141.
Match – 3
Trent Rockets: 112/8 (100)
Oval Invincibles: 115/5 (99)
Again a win at the toss and again a chase, but importantly there was a difference with the ball in hand. The rockets lost 3 of their top 4 for starts and skipper, Nat Sciver alone got to a harmless fifty which didn’t bother the Invincibles as the rest who made it to the middle, returned for single-digit scores and Invincibles had Eva Gray with best figures off 20 balls conceding only 16 runs, bagging a couple of wickets for 10 dots. With only a 112 to get to, Invincibles lost an early wicket but Alice Capsey and Suzie Bates gained the centre stage and got the team on track. The wickets of both set batters on 24 and 41 followed by a couple more quick ones had Oval lose the plot, but Marizanne Kapp was in the middle and like one would expect, remaining unbeaten on 34(27) and much more importantly with a ball to spare in a tense chase won the game for her side.
Match – 4
Birmingham Phoenix: 106/7 (100)
Oval Invincibles: 107/2 (87)
Oval again opting to chase had a below-par total as they restricted big names in Sophie Devine, Amy Jones and Ellyse Perry on scores of 7(4), 18(20) and 10(13) respectively. The little opener Evelyn Jones and lower order batter Emily Arlott produced lower saw them present Invincibles with a total of 106 to chase down with Alice Capsey registering unbelievable figures off 20 balls, conceding only 15 runs, bagging 3 wickets and bowling 11 dots. Birmingham managed wickets of Suzie Bates and Alice Capsey on starts, but opener Lauren Winfield-Hill and skipper Dane van Niekerks’ mature and unbeaten knocks of 41(38) and 21(21) respectively got the team a comfortable 8-wicket win with 13 balls to spare.
Match – 5
London Spirit: 80/10 (97)
Oval Invincibles: 82-1 (58)
5th consecutive win at the toss and as always was a call for a chase. Invincibles got the Spirits’ top 3 to walk back on scores of 3, 0 and 1. A little stitch from Charlotte Dean and Amelia Kerr helped the team get back in the game but after they walked back on scores of 20(18) and 31(31) what followed was a collapse that had London Spirit post 80 on board with Maddy Villers stepping up as she picked up 4 wickets off her 20 balls for the same number (12) of dots and runs. Invincibles in reply were off to a good start that saw curtains just as they neared the required with Suzie Bates walk back on 31(20). Alice Capsey remained unbeaten on 6(10) alongside Lauren Winfield-Hill on the other end with a 44*(28) guided the team to a very comfortable 9-wicket win.
With 4 wins in 5 games, Oval Invincibles have made it to the knockouts and in their final league stage game have got to consider setting up a total and not stick to chasing as they next are scheduled to play Manchester Originals on the 31st of August.