(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Liam Livingstone’s Blazing 69 Powers Birmingham Phoenix to Thrilling Win Over Oval Invincibles in The Hundred*
Birmingham Phoenix claimed their first win of the men’s Hundred 2025 season in style, chasing down Oval Invincibles’ 180-8 with just two balls to spare in a nail-biting finish at Edgbaston.
Match Summary
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Oval Invincibles: 180/8 (100 balls) – Donovan Ferreira 63 (29), Jordan Cox 44
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Birmingham Phoenix: 182/6 (98 balls) – Liam Livingstone 69 (27), Will Smeed 51 (29)
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Result: Phoenix won by 4 wickets
Ferreira Fires, But Livingstone Steals the Show
Sent in to bat, the Invincibles had a shaky start, losing Will Jacks in the second ball and slipping to 34-3. Jordan Cox (44) and Sam Billings provided some stability before Donovan Ferreira exploded, smashing 63 off 29 balls with towering sixes, including a half-century in just 24 balls. Rashid Khan’s quick-fire 16 and a 25-run penultimate set pushed the total to a competitive 180-8.
Phoenix Fight Back
The Phoenix chase started cautiously, with Jason Behrendorff conceding just five runs in his opening 10 balls. Saqib Mahmood dismissed Ben Duckett early, but Will Smeed counter-attacked, blasting 51 off 29 balls before falling to Nathan Sowter.
At 111-4, Liam Livingstone took charge, hammering Rashid Khan for 26 runs in five balls and guiding his team toward victory. Even a late double strike from Mahmood, which left Phoenix needing three from five balls, couldn’t stop the hosts, as Benny Howell sealed the win with a cover drive.
Livingstone Named Match Hero
“It’s been a disappointing start, so we needed this win,” Livingstone said post-match. “I wanted to be there at the end, but we still had to take risks. This gives us confidence going forward.”
Birmingham Phoenix’s thrilling victory keeps their campaign alive, while Oval Invincibles will rue missed chances in the closing stages.
