In a thrilling Super Five contest at the Kia Oval, Southern Brave emerged victorious over Birmingham Phoenix, securing their place in the Hundred final at Lord’s.
Southern Brave’s innings was anchored by James Vince’s 43 and Leus du Plooy’s 39. Chris Jordan’s late heroics, including two sixes in the final set bowled by Sean Abbott, proved crucial.
Birmingham Phoenix’s chase started slowly, but contributions from Moeen Ali and Jacob Bethell kept them in contention. Liam Livingstone’s 55 off 34 balls seemed to have put Phoenix on the brink of victory, but his dismissal in the final set and some late drama saw the scores level at 126 apiece.
In the Super Five, Livingstone fell first ball to Jofra Archer, leaving Phoenix needing 7 from 3 balls. Jordan’s 10 runs from 3 balls, including a slice of luck on his first delivery, sealed the victory for Southern Brave.
Archer, who was named Meerkat Match Hero, expressed relief after his match-winning performance. He praised the depth of talent in the Southern Brave squad, stating that “the team has so much talent it doesn’t matter what team we put out there.”