Written by Amy Tuscher
The opening day of the 2025 Hundred season saw the defending champions, Oval Invincibles men and London Spirit women, start their campaigns with contrasting but ultimately successful performances. Both teams faced their local rivals in a doubleheader at Lord's, providing a thrilling start to the competition.
London Spirit Women vs Oval Invincibles Women
The London Spirit women's team, defending their 2024 title, began their season with a hard-fought 17-run victory over a strong Oval Invincibles side.
Key Performances:
Grace Harris (London Spirit): The Australian all-rounder was the star of the show, delivering a sensational and destructive innings of 89 not out from just 38 balls. Her performance, which included six sixes and seven fours, propelled Spirit to a commanding total of 176-5, the second-highest in women's Hundred history.
Cordelia Griffith (London Spirit): Griffith provided crucial support to Harris, reaching her maiden Hundred half-century with a score of 50 from 29 balls. The pair shared a record-breaking 100-run partnership, which set the foundation for Spirit's formidable total.
Meg Lanning (Oval Invincibles): The Invincibles' chase was anchored by a magnificent debut half-century from Meg Lanning. Despite a daunting target, Lanning kept her team in the hunt with a composed yet explosive 85 off 51 balls. Her dismissal to Issy Wong with just seven balls remaining effectively ended the Invincibles' hopes of a record-breaking chase.
Issy Wong (London Spirit): Wong was instrumental with the ball, taking 2-26 from her 20 deliveries, including the crucial wicket of Lanning. Her performance, along with Tara Norris's early dismissal of the Invincibles' captain, ensured the Spirit's victory.
London Spirit Men vs Oval Invincibles Men
In the men's fixture, the Oval Invincibles began their quest for a third consecutive title with a dominant six-wicket victory over the London Spirit.
Key Performances:
Rashid Khan (Oval Invincibles): The Afghan leg-spinner made a stunning debut for the Invincibles. His masterclass in spin bowling saw him take 3-11, completely dismantling the Spirit's batting line-up.
Sam Curran (Oval Invincibles): Curran was equally impressive with the ball, bamboozling the opposition with a series of deceptive slower balls. He finished with figures of 3-18, helping to restrict the London Spirit to a paltry 80 all out—the second-lowest total in men's Hundred history.
Will Jacks (Oval Invincibles): Jacks led the Invincibles' chase with a measured 24 from 24 balls. While the target was small, Jacks' composed innings ensured a comfortable victory for the two-time champions.
Ashton Turner (London Spirit): In an otherwise forgettable performance for the London Spirit, Ashton Turner offered some resistance with the bat, top-scoring with 21 from 14 balls. However, his efforts were not enough to prevent a crushing defeat for his team.
Who do you think will win this years The Hundred?
Images from BBC SPORT/ Getty Images
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