Alice Capsey took three wickets as the Invincibles secured a crucial win over Birmingham Phoenix; Lauren Winfield-Hill shone with the bat for the home side, hitting 41 off 38 balls; watch every match from The Hundred this summer live on Sky Sports
Wednesday 24 August 2022 13:01, UK
Alice Capsey's devastating bowling display led Oval Invincibles to a comfortable eight-wicket victory over Birmingham Phoenix at the Kia Oval in a repeat of last year's Hundred Eliminator.
The 18-year-old recorded Invincibles' best figures of the competition so far, taking three for 15 as the home side reigned victorious in overcast conditions in the capital.
Seeking revenge for their loss in last season's Eliminator, Phoenix set 107 to win, which the home side made light work of.
Ferocious hitting from Lauren Winfield-Hill (41), Dane van Niekerk (21) and Capsey (20) saw Invincibles cruise home with 13 balls to spare.
Phoenix should have been full of confidence having secured three wins from their opening three games, but they looked completely shaken by the impressive Invincibles' bowling attack.
The sheer pace of Shabnim Ismail and the sensational spin of Sophia Smale proved too much for the Phoenix top-order to handle in the powerplay, with just 27 runs coming from the opening 30 balls.
Smale has had a fantastic tournament so far and continued to impress by dismissing Phoenix skipper Sophie Devine with an exceptional catch off her own bowling.
Phoenix were unable to pick up any momentum, and frugal Invincibles bowling - led by teenagers Smale and Capsey - kept the rate below a run-a-ball for much of the innings.
Amy Jones has been in sumptuous form for Phoenix so far this season but never got going, meandering her way to 18 before she departed to Capsey.
The dangerous Ellyse Perry was not able to lift the rate either and she scored just 10 before she fell to Mady Villiers.
Eve Jones was the pick of the Phoenix batters scoring a run-a-ball 29, but she fell to Capsey just two deliveries later.
A cameo of 15 from Emily Arlott lifted Phoenix above the 100 mark, but it seemed like a below-par total for the away side.
In reply, Invincibles looked like they wanted to get the game finished quickly.
Big-hitting Kiwi Suzie Bates smashed consecutive fours off Issy Wong. She hit a further two boundaries to delight the home crowd before departing for 17.
Winfield-Hill picked up where Bates left off, hitting Sophie Molineux for four and then following it with a mighty six in the same set.
The destructive Capsey then joined the party, smashing a six with her third delivery on the way to 20 off 18, before departing to Arlott.
Captain Van Niekerk then entered the pitch, and having been controversially left out of the previous game, she looked determined to prove that selection decision was a mistake.
Although she was fortunate not to be dismissed when Amy Jones missed what should have been a straightforward run-out, the Invincibles skipper made Phoenix pay with consecutive fours off the next two deliveries.
Jones then gave Van Niekerk another lifeline when she dropped a catch off Arlott.
Meanwhile, at the other end, Winfield-Hill continued to light up the Kia Oval with consecutive boundaries off Phoebe Franklin en route to victory.
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"It was a big game for us obviously playing Phoenix who are three from three so to come out here and get a dominant win was amazing.
"To contribute to that, and the team were amazing, so it was great.
"I think we were just trying to keep it really simple, bowl full and straight at the stumps and almost if they miss, we hit.
"I think the fielders were absolutely amazing, they backed us up.
"We felt really good and the energy continued throughout the 100 balls so it was great."
Oval Invincibles captain Dane van Niekerk said: "It has been good to be back on the park and getting a win.
"Birmingham Phoenix have been going really well and we had a lot of nerves going into this game, they have a great set up.
"As a captain I couldn't ask for more.
"Everything just clicked on the field.
"It was very close to a perfect performance in my opinion."
Next up in The Hundred is a double header at Lord's as London Spirit welcome Welsh Fire. The women's fixture will get under way at 3pm before the men's match starts at 6.30pm.
For the Invincibles, they also have a visit to Lord's next up on Saturday, with the women's match at 3.30pm and the men's at 7pm.
Birmingham Phoenix are then in action on Sunday as they face Manchester Originals on their home turf (same timings as above).
Watch every match from The Hundred this summer live on Sky Sports.
Tickets for The Hundred are selling fast! If you want to be part of the action, go to thehundred.com/tickets
