Oval Invincibles cruised to a 45-run win over Birmingham Phoenix at The Oval to open the 2024 season of The Hundred.
Paige Scholfield (71 off 40 balls) and England international Alice Capsey (52 off 40) both struck fifties as Invincibles posted 150-5 from their 100 balls after being put into bat at the toss.
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Birmingham Phoenix were given five penalty runs due to a ‘dangerous’ moment from Marizanne Kapp in The Hundred
Phoenix benefitted from five penalty runs being awarded to them early on in their reply, Marizanne Kapp punished for ‘dangerous play’ after throwing the ball back at Suzie Bates in her follow through.
An incensed Kapp (1-21) returned soon after to bowl Bates for six, while Ellyse Perry was run out for a duck after superb work from Capsey, and Sterre Kalis (17) was bowled by Ryana MacDonald-Gay (1-11) next ball.
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Marizanne Kapp bowls out Suzie Bates for just six runs in the first Hundred match at The Oval
The Phoenix chase never really recovered, with Amanda-Jade Wellington (3-9) ripping through the lower order with three wickets – including England’s Amy Jones for 21 – as the visitors were ultimately bowled out for 105 in 92 balls.
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Amanda-Jade Wellington gets her third wicket for the The Oval Invincibles in the first match of The Hundred
Earlier, Katie Levick (1-16) claimed the first wicket of the 2024 tournament when bowling Invincibles captain Lauren Winfield-Hill for 12.
Scholfield brought up her 28-ball half century swiftly after plundering four-straight boundaries off Sophie Devine’s bowling, while Capsey benefitted from being dropped off back-to-back deliveries when on 32.
Emily Arlott was the first guilty party, putting down a sharp caught-and-bowled chance, while Issy Wong shelled the second at deep square-leg.
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Alice Capsey gets a half-century after being dropped twice in the first Hundred match at The Oval
Arlott (2-19) made amends somewhat with the wickets of Kapp (7) and Laura Harris (0) off consecutive balls to find herself on a hat-trick, which Mady Villiers safely blocked out.
Despite the somewhat stuttering finish, Invincibles’ total was always likely to be a testing one for a Phoenix team which didn’t win a single match last year… and they start the 2024 season with another heavy defeat.
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The Oval Invicibles win their first match of The Hundred against the Birmingham Phoenix
Player of the Match – Paige Scholfield (Oval Invincibles)
Paige Scholfield was rightly awarded Player of the Match honours, having set the tone with her 71 off 40 balls at the top of the order for Invincibles.
The 28-year-old racked up 12 boundaries in her enterprising knock, including four in a row off Sophie Devine shortly before bringing up her 29-ball half century.
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Paige Scholfield gets to 71 before being caught on the boundary in the first Hundred at The Oval
Sky Sports’ Stuart Broad said of Scholfield’s knock: “Hugely impressive.
“Especially as an inexperienced opening batter, to go out and set the tone, arguably for the whole tournament.
“She has got the Oval Invincibles above a par score due to her strokeplay – she was particular strong over the offside – as she found the boundary with ease.”
What’s next?
The Hundred continues on Wednesday as Southern Brave take on London Spirit.
The women’s match is live on Sky Sports Cricket from 2.30pm with play to start from 3pm, while you can also stream via the Sky Sports app and YouTube. The Brave are defending champions from 2023.
The men’s clash is live from 6pm ahead of play starting at 6.30pm. Brave were winners of the men’s competition in the inaugural season in 2021.
Sky Sports will show all 68 games in The Hundred live this summer, while you can also watch selected games from The Hundred on Sky Sports App and YouTube. Stream The Hundred and more with NOW
