By Graham Hardcastle
England limited overs all-rounder Sam Curran starred with bat and ball as the Oval Invincibles won a top-of-the-table clash in the men’s Hundred by nine runs at Headingley, holding off a thrilling Northern Superchargers fightback chasing 186.
Curran hit 24 off 12 balls late on as the league-leading Invincibles posted a commanding 185 for five before taking a superb catch and a wicket as the Superchargers slipped to 23 for two.
Opener Tom Banton crashed a brilliant 81 off 43 balls to recover them – and at 146 for three after 75 balls, they were favourites needing 40.
But left-arm seamer Curran returned to get Banton caught at deep midwicket by a diving Ross Whiteley. He finished with two for 31 from 20 balls and left speedster Gus Atkinson defending 19 off the last set of five balls.
Superchargers finished on 176 for eight, losing their first game in four. The Invicibles, for whom unbeaten Jordan Cox top-scored with 73 off 38, won their third game in four to strengthen top spot on seven points.
South Africa international Heinrich Klaasen hit six sixes in an entertaining 46 off 22 for the Invincibles.
Australian quick Spencer Johnson had conceded only one off an incredible 20-ball spell in their home win over Manchester Originals on Tuesday but conceded five off his first ball here, including a wide, at the start of the visiting defence. He finished with one for 36.
Jason Roy flicked the contest’s first ball – a Reece Topley full toss – down deep backward square-leg’s throat.
Opening partner Will Jacks got things moving with a crisp 40, but he was then caught off Callum Parkinson, bringing Klaasen in at 69 for two after 44 balls.
Klaasen hit a blistering 60 against the Originals and was similarly destructive here despite not hitting a four.
Pacer Brydon Carse bore the brunt, conceding three sixes in five balls as the score moved from 85 for two after 60 to 104 for two after 65. One went arrow straight and the other two high over backward square-leg.
Like Jacks, Klaasen then miscued to long-on. This time, Adil Rashid struck. But the Invincibles were on course for an imposing total at 124 for three after 74.
Even though Cox reached 50 off 30 balls, he played second fiddle throughout much of this innings. He rotated the strike well before taking on the lead role at the end.
Captain Wayne Parnell was the pick of the Superchargers bowling with two for 29, narrowly missing out on a late hat-trick having removed Curran and Ross Whiteley caught and lbw.
Curran then took a brilliant catch back-peddling from mid-on to help Atkinson remove Matt Short before getting a England white ball team-mate Harry Brook caught behind cutting for just four as the hosts slipped.
But Banton and Adam Hose started the turnaround with a 57-stand to take the score to 82 for two after 50 balls.
Hose drilled Nathan Sowter’s leg-spin to long-on almost immediately to fall for 45, though Banton ploughed on. He reached 50 off 30 balls and reverse hit his next ball for six over cover off Sowter.
With that, the Superchargers were on course. But Johnson removed Saif Zaib, Curran returned to strike and squeeze and Atkinson struck twice in the last five to get Carse and Rashid caught to finish with three for 24.
Oval Invincibles batter Cox said: “It’s awesome to play in front of this Headingley crowd (15,049). To get two points is awesome, and we now move onto Birmingham and hopefully we’ll get two points there.
“(On Henrich Klaasen) You literally do absolutely nothing when he’s there. Last 12 months, he’s been the best cricketer in the world. His ball striking is absolutely phenomenal, and to be at the other end is box office.
“The bowlers were great. To win a game of cricket, you need good batters and bowlers – and tonight we definitely had that.”
“Right through when I came to the crease with Tom (Banton), we believed pretty confidently that we could knock these off,” Northern Superchargers batter Hose said.
“At the point we needed 40 off 25, we had seven wickets in hand, we were very much in the driving seat. Hats off to them, Sam Curran bowled fantastically well and showed why he’s in demand around the world. I thought Gus Atkinson bowled really well as well, sometimes you’ve got to take your hat off to them.
“We know that sort of score is within our reach. We know a lot of things would have had to go our way, and I look around at our dressing room and there’s a real high level of skill. I certainly felt confident, but it’s just a shame it didn’t come off.”
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