Welsh Fire v Oval Invincibles: Will Jacks masterclass leads Invincibles to first win in The Hundred 2022

A superb 81 from Will Jacks set the Oval Invincibles up for a 39 run victory over the Welsh Fire in Cardiff to seal their first win of the 2022 competition.

Former West Indian international Sunil Narine led the bowling attack for the Invincibles, taking 3-21 from his 20 balls.

Welsh Fire won the toss and elected to bowl first on what was a scorching summer afternoon in the Welsh Capital.

Team Lineups

Welsh Fire: Joe Clarke, Tom Banton, Ollie Pope, Ben Duckett, David Miller, Josh Cobb, Ryan Higgins, Adam Zampa, Jake Ball, David Payne, George Scrimshaw.

Oval Invincibles: Jason Roy, Will Jacks, Rilee Rossouw, Sam Billings, Sam Curran, Jordan Cox, Tom Curran, Matt Milnes, Sunil Narine, Danny Briggs, Mohammad Hasnain.

Jason Roy and Will Jacks got the visitors off to a steady start with some good stroke play.

However, Roy’s faltering summer continued when he could only find a man on the leg side for just 10.

The tricky batting pitch had claimed its first victim, and Roy would not be the last.

Jacks was joined by Rilee Rossouw, just over a week after his heroics here for South Africa. A crunching drive back down the ground let Payne know he meant business - but the very next ball Payne had his man.

Rissouw went after a wide-ish delivery and a firm edge was caught. 22-2.

Billings and Jacks set about steadying the innings an a sweep shot moved Billings into double figures with the help of a mistake in the field, but with the 41st ball of the innings he was trapped LBW by Higgins. 51-3 and England international Sam Curran was next in.

His first four was a fine edge down leg side that beat the keeper. 72-3 from 59 balls.

Jacks moved onto 39 with a hefty drive down the ground which went all the way for six.

The Invincibles would need to put their foot down if they were to set a reasonable 100 plus target, which is what Jacks seemingly had in mind.

Curran skied a mistimed effort but fortunately for him the ball fell just short of the man out in the deep as he too looked to open his shoulders.

The pair looked settled and a boundary from Jacks took the Invincibles to 100 with 18 balls remaining.

Australian international Adam Zampa was then hit into the stands by Curran. The England bowler tried to repeat this with the next ball but the timing wasn’t quite there and he was caught on the boundary by David Miller.

The 56 run partnership had put the Invincibles in a strong position. Sunil Narine joined jacks at the crease.

A fine four got Jacks to a well deserved 50 from 36 balls, a second straight boundary off the bowling of Payne was forthcoming.

A huge six from Jacks landed just under us in the media centre at Sophia Gardens, he was chugging along nicely heading towards the last 10 balls of the innings.

Jake Ball was then dispatched for a maximum as the visitors looked to finish their innings strong.

Jacks rattled his way into the 80s with a six and then a four off Ball. with the penultimate ball of the innings - however, he was caught on the boundary for 81 from 45 balls.

Tom Curran faced the final ball of the innings. He hit a four, meaning the Invincibles finished on 158-5.

The home team’s response was started by Joe Clarke and Tom Banton, with Sam Curran taking the new ball.

Clarke scored the Fire’s first maximum from the bowling of Briggs, which was followed by another huge six the very next ball.

Fire struggled to get the ball off the square at times, but Tom Banton nailed a great shot away for six approximately a quarter of the way into the innings. 37-0 from 24 balls.

The Invincibles finally made the breakthrough with the 35th ball of the innings. Tom Banton was trapped LBW by Narine for 15 off 21 balls. Ben Duckett was the new man in. 46-1.

A lovely shot around the corner from the new man was followed up two balls later with a sweep down to the boundary by Clarke. 57-1.

Half way through the innings the Fire had made it to 66-1, 93 needed from 50 balls.

Clarke got a toe end on a wide ball from Hasanain to guide it away for four. He then tried to take on Tom Curran, but his pull shot was caught in the deep by Sam Curran.

72-2 with Olly Pope in at 5.

Pope wouldn’t trouble the scorers, however, as he was bowled by Narine having faced just three balls.

South African David Miller was the new man in - yet he also didn’t stick around as he holed out with a shot that was caught on the boundary by Milnes. 77-4 and this brought Josh Cobb to the crease.

A beautiful ramp shot from Duckett went all the way for six as he looked to take the game to the Invincibles.

Cobb was quick to get into his stride, and a huge six was sent into the stand. However, the very next ball his off stump was removed by Narine and he departed for 11.

96-5 and Higgins the new man. The Invincibles were edging closer to victory.

Sam Curran removed Duckett for 25 leaving the hosts six down and still over 50 runs short of victory.

Adam Zampa got off the mark with a shot that just beat the man in the infield to race away for four. He was then very nearly caught the next ball, but the fielder couldn’t quite get a hand on it.

Welsh Fire required 52 from their final 10 balls. With only four wickets left, this was always going to be a tall order.

Zampa guided the ball away for four as his mini cameo moved into double figures, but it was always going to be a case of too little too late as the Invincible bowlers defended the target well.

The Invincibles won by 39 runs as they bounced back in fine fashion from the narrow opening game defeat against London Spirit.

Next up, its back to the Oval for a match against the Southern Brave.