Rashid Khan’s fiery spell set up Oval Invincibles’ 6‑wicket win over London Spirit in the opening match of The Hundred Men’s 2025 at Lord’s.
Match Highlights and Key Moments:
1. Toss & Team Decision
- London Spirit won the toss and chose to bat first.
- The Lord’s wicket looked slow and low, favouring spinners from the start.
2. London Spirit’s Innings: Rashid Khan Takes Charge
- London Spirit collapsed under sustained pressure, getting bowled out for just 80 runs in 94 balls.
- Ashton Turner was the lone standout, scoring 21 off 14 balls.
- Ryan Higgins managed 12 from 14 balls, while the rest of the batting lineup struggled.
Key Bowling Figures for Oval Invincibles Men:
- Rashid Khan: Claimed 3 wickets for just 11 runs in his 20-ball spell.
- Sam Curran: Picked up 3 wickets for 18 runs in 19.4 balls.
- Jordan Clark: Took 2 wickets for only 8 runs in 10 balls.
3. Fall of Wickets: London Spirit
- Jennings – 7/1 (Ball 11)
- Williamson – 17/2 (Ball 19)
- Warner – 26/3 (Ball 31)
- W Madsen – 38/4 (Ball 43)
- J Simpson – 49/5 (Ball 53)
- Liam Dawson – 55/6 (Ball 58)
- Turner – 57/7 (Ball 65)
- Luke Wood – 74/8 (Ball 79)
- Ryan Higgins – 74/9 (Ball 82)
- Richard Gleeson – 80/10 (Ball 94)
4. Oval Invincibles’ Chase: Methodical and Smooth
- Oval Invincibles needed 81 to win and lost Tawanda Muyeye (18) early.
- Will Jacks anchored with 24 from 24 balls.
- Skipper Sam Billings (6 runs*) and Donovan Ferreira (9 runs*) guided their side to victory with 31 balls remaining.
Key Bowling Figures for London Spirit Men:
- Liam Dawson: 2 wickets for 9 runs in 20 balls
- Ashton Turner: 1 wicket for 7 runs in 5 balls
5. Fall of Wickets: Oval Invincibles
- Tawanda Muyeye – 34/1 (Ball 32)
- Will Jacks – 51/2 (Ball 51)
- Jordan Cox – 60/3 (Ball 58)
- Sam Curran – 66/4 (Ball 62)
6. Partnerships That Shaped the Game
London Spirit Men
- None significant as wickets fell at regular intervals.
Oval Invincibles Men
- Billings & Ferreira: Unbeaten 15 runs off 7 balls ensured a calm finish to seal the chase.
7. Turning Points of the Match
- Rashid Khan’s spell dismantled London Spirit with top-quality spin.
- Sam Curran’s support with three wickets compounded the collapse.
- A tame batting effort from Spirit left too little to chase.
8. Player of the Match: Rashid Khan
- Rashid Khan impressed with 3 wickets for just 11 runs, weaving a spell that sealed the game.
9. Match Summary
- London Spirit (Men): 80 all out (94 balls)
- Oval Invincibles (Men): 81/4 (69 balls)
- Result: Oval Invincibles men won by 6 wickets with 31 balls remaining
10. Points Table Impact
- Oval Invincibles begin with 2 points and a positive impact on their Net Run Rate (NRR).
- London Spirit face early pressure after a heavy opening loss.
👀 What’s Next in The Hundred Men’s 2025?
- Oval Invincibles are set to face Manchester Originals in their next clash at The Kia Oval.
- London Spirit head to Cardiff to take on Welsh Fire in their next match.
