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Sam Curran fireworks set up thrilling Oval Invincibles win over Northern Superchargers

Sam Curran strikes one through the offside Getty Images

Oval Invincibles 158 for 7 (S Curran 60) beat Northern Superchargers 157 for 7 (Lyth 79, Narine 3-11) by three wickets

Sam Curran was the match-winner as he steered Oval Invincibles to a thrilling three-wicket victory over Northern Superchargers in the afternoon sunshine at a raucous Kia Oval.

Curran scored a scintillating 60 to see Invincibles home with three balls remaining, having being dropped on 44 by Adam Lyth in a moment that proved match-defining. Lyth himself had earlier been dropped on 1, before registering the fastest fifty in the history of the Hundred, off just 17 balls. Exceptional bowling from the frugal Sunil Narine (3 for 11) restricted Superchargers to 157 for 7.

It was a score that, thanks to Sam Curran's pyrotechnics, proved too few. Jordan Cox, with 48 off 29, played an exceptional supporting role before Tom Curran's 18 off seven balls secured the victory for the home side in another breathless encounter in South London.

Lyth and Faf du Plessis had opened for Superchargers, after Invincibles won the toss, and the pressure was on with both batters having failed to score in their last outing.

Superchargers got off to a flyer, although Lyth was handed a lifeline when he was dropped by Hilton Cartwright in the deep with just one run to his name. Invincibles paid the price as Lyth followed the drop with four consecutive sixes off Reece Topley, in a set that went for 25.

Du Plessis was dismissed by Sam Curran for 9 to disrupt the destruction, but that didn't stop Superchargers from amassing a mighty 47 for 1 the powerplay.

Lyth continued to decimate Invincibles' bowling attack, taking further sixes off Tom Curran and Matt Milnes. A few further ferocious hits took him to 79 before he was caught on the boundary off the bowling of Milnes.

Superchargers rode their luck with both Narine and Rilee Rossouw dropping straightforward catches, before the former made amends by dismissing Adam Hose and David Wiese in consecutive balls during a miserly spell that reeled Superchargers in. His efforts kickstarted a remarkable recovery from Invincibles who limited Superchargers to 157 off their 100 balls - a much lower figure than looked likely at one stage.

Invincibles' reply got off to a bad start when stand-in captain Jason Roy's miserable run of form rumbled on - he was dismissed without scoring by Ben Raine, who also took the wicket of Narine in the same set. Cox walked out at 5 for 2 and quickly lost Rossouw as the score became 21 for 3. But the 21-year-old batted maturely, hitting a series of stunning boundaries as he steered Invincibles to a competitive 65 at the halfway stage of their innings.

Cox and Sam Curran built some momentum for the home side, the pair putting on 67 together. The partnership finally came to an end when the impressive Cox was run-out for 48 after some electric fielding from du Plessis.

Sam Curran kept the momentum going though and produced some fireworks to delight the home fans, hitting a series of enormous sixes into the stands. He eventually perished for 60, bowled by Bravo's slower ball, before brother Tom Curran got the home side over the line with three balls to put Invincibles level on points with London Spirit at the top of the table.

Invincibles 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st0SP NarineJJ Roy
2nd5SP NarineRR Rossouw
3rd16RR RossouwJM Cox
4th67SM CurranJM Cox
5th42HWR CartwrightSM Curran
6th7TK CurranSM Curran
7th15TK CurranJA Haynes
8th6DR BriggsTK Curran