Livingstone takes down Rashid to secure thrilling win

17 hours ago 27
Media caption,

Listen to Liam Livingstone mic'd up in the field

Matthew Henry

BBC Sport Journalist

The Hundred men's competition, Edgbaston

Oval Invincibles 180-8 (100 balls): Ferreira 63 (29); Boult 2-20

Birmingham Phoenix 182-6 (98 balls): Livingstone 69* (27); Mahmood 3-28

Birmingham Phoenix won by four wickets

Scorecard. Table

Liam Livingstone brilliantly took down Rashid Khan to lead Birmingham Phoenix home in a thrilling and unlikely chase of 181 and beat defending champions Oval Invincibles in the men's Hundred.

The Phoenix, beaten in both of their first two fixtures, needed 61 runs from 24 balls with six wickets left before captain Livingstone struck five balls from superstar Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid for 26 runs, with three sixes and two fours.

With 22 required from the last 10 he thrashed Tom Curran for another two sixes to put Phoenix on the brink.

Then, with three to defend from the last five, Saqib Mahmood took two wickets in two balls but Benny Howell drove a four and Livingstone finished 69 not out from 27 - Phoenix completing the third-highest chase in The Hundred with four wickets and two balls to spare.

Rashid's final figures - 0-59 from 20 balls - are the most expensive in the tournament as the Invincibles' winning start to the tournament ended.

Donovan Ferreira had seemingly put them in control by hitting a brutal 63 from 29 balls to lift the Invincibles to 180-8.

Instead, Livingstone, backed up by 51 from 29 by opener Will Smeed, produced one of the best knocks in The Hundred, sealing one of the more improbable victories.

What is happening on Wednesday?

There are four games on Wednesday - two men's and two women's.

Southern Brave host Northern Superchargers with the women's match starting at 11:30 BST and the men's 15:00.

Welsh Fire also host Manchester Originals in the women's competition from 15:00 with the men following from 18:30.

You can follow ball-by-ball commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app.

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