Jos Buttler fires magnificent 82 to help Manchester Originals chase down 197 and beat the Southern Brave to reach the men's Hundred final against the Oval Invincibles; Finn Allen, Devon Conway and James Vince all hit half-centuries for Brave - live on Sky Sports from 6pm
Saturday 26 August 2023 23:00, UK
Jos Buttler delivered a batting masterclass as he spearheaded the biggest Hundred run chase to stun the Southern Brave and lead the Manchester Originals to the men's final with a seven-wicket victory at The Kia Oval on Saturday.
The England white-ball captain fired a magnificent 82 from 46 balls as the Originals hunted down the Brave's team record total of 196 to set up a meeting with the Oval Invincibles in Sunday's conclusion.
Finn Allen had helped put Brave in the driving seat when he opened with a blistering 69 during a ton-plus partnership alongside Devon Conway (51), who continued to punish the Thunder attack upon his team-mate's departure with the help of James Vince's unbeaten 56 to reach 196-1.
But a lightning start from openers Buttler and Phil Salt titled the odds back in the favour of the Originals as the pair shared a partnership of 83 off the opening 32 balls.
Salt fell for 47 off 17 before Buttler eventually exited with 12 balls to spare, but the damage had already been done as Laurie Evans and Jamie Overton closed out the win, the latter deciding things with a six to cap a mammoth response.
Buttler, Salt and the the Originals came out swinging in reply to Brave's 196, racing to 28 off the opening 10 balls to threaten a blockbuster fightback.
Their emphatic response continued as Buttler fired a four through the covers to finish the powerplay 61-0, equalling the highest powerplay score of the season.
Another Salt six made it 82 in 30 deliveries to pile the pressure on the Brave attack, which prompted the introduction of some spin from Mitchell Santner. It would reap immediate reward as Salt fizzed his next shot into the hands of a diving Vince to end his partnership with Buttler.
The spin of Rehan Ahmed subsequently entered the attack and followed up the work of Santner in slowing the Originals, only for a Max Holden ramp shot to sail for six and seemingly spur Buttler to revisit his aggression of moments earlier.
The Originals reached the midway point of their innings needing 82 to win, before Buttler made it to his 50 off 26 balls.
Tymal Mills offered a long-awaited breakthrough for Brave when his slower ball deceived Holden into lofting a shot into the safe hands of Craig Overton for 146-2.
But Buttler rallied on, racing to 82 to leave the Originals needing 17 until he was caught by Ahmed off the bowling of Chris Jordan to tease another twist in the tale.
Not to have their team-mates' hard work undone, Evans and Jamie Overton held their nerve to see their team over the line with four balls to spare.
Brave had cruised to 37-0 by the end of their powerplay earlier in the evening, with Allen on 20 from 17 having recovered impressively from striking himself in the face with a ramp shot attempt during the opening set.
He preceded to bring up his half-century with a thumping six down the ground off the bowling of Zaman Khan to lift his side to 84-0 after 50 deliveries.
Allen and Conway reached their 100 partnership from just 58 balls before the ramp shot came back to haunt the former again, the Brave batter failing to make the correct contact and tickling the ball into the stretched-out gloves of Buttler.
In came a soon-to-be rampant Vince, whose blistering innings saw him clatter a six followed by a four to take Brave to their best score at 169 after 90 balls.
Conway, having watched Vince catch him up swiftly in the 40s, then brought up his half-century off 37 balls before his red-hot team-mate fizzed another six down the ground to reach 54 off 24.
It's Finals Day!
Lord's is the venue on Sunday as Superchargers face Brave in the women's final from 2.15pm before Oval Invincibles meet Manchester Originals in the men's from 6pm.
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