The Oval Invincibles (OVI) are in opposition to the Manchester Originals (MNR) in Match 5 of The Hundred Men’s 2025 at Kennington Oval, London. OVI went into the tournament after a convincing win over the London Spirit.
Rashid Khan had brilliant spells for OVI, and Sam Curran supported him in doing the same. Maintaining this winning stride will be the motivation for the OVI, and they will want another easy win.
MNR had a difficult beginning of the season, losing to Southern Brave when there was only one ball left to be bowled. Both Phil Salt and Scott Currie gave creditable performances with bat and ball, respectively.
The MNR wants to get back in vengeance and open their scoring on the points table set for the later stages of this tournament so that they may constrain the season in their favor. This match promises excitement, development, and a contest between the two competing sides.
| Matches Played | 05 |
| Won By OVI | 04 |
| Won By MNR | 01 |
| No Result | 00 |
Pitch Report
Kennington Oval in London is a batting-friendly stadium and hence it is feasible to score and chase very huge scores there. Dew during the second innings usually leaves the bowlers without a good grip on the ball leaving the power hitters at a huge advantage and brings away more favorable chases.
Oval Invincibles Strengths
Coming into Match 5, the Invincibles are brimming with confidence after dispatching London Spirit. Their captain, Sam Billings, leads an all-round squad, supported by loud hitters in the opening slot in Will Jacks and Tawanda Muyeye, who seems to hold great promise. The middle order is of high quality, led by the likes of Jordan Cox and Sam Curran, who have the ability to bat and bowl, providing depth to the side. The Invincibles have perhaps one of the most sought-after bowlers in the world today with leg-spin variations – Rashid Khan is their trump card, whereas the seamers Jason Behrendorff and Tom Curran are the experienced complements. The Oval creates a substantial home advantage in terms of familiarity with conditions and vehement support from the crowd.
Oval Invincibles Weaknesses
Atop an already high standard set at the very least, the Invincibles could find themselves exposed for inconsistency in the middle order if wickets fall early. They might very well become over-reliant on Rashid Khan to create the breakthrough, which could be exploited by the better batting lineups. There are no proven finishers apart from Sam Curran in the lower middle order. They might have a struggle finishing a chase when under pressure. Death bowling remains small in execution, with perhaps only Behrendorff and Tom Curran really having a say. Team fielding is not yet up to the mark, given that the team has dropped quite a few catches and also missed some run-outs.
Manchester Originals’ Strengths
With a top order that is perhaps one of the most explosive in the tournament, captain Philip Salt and Jos Buttler can blow attacks into smithereens. Heinrich Klaasen‘s power-hitting in the middle overs is crucial for providing much-needed acceleration. Then there is Mark Chapman and Lewis Gregory, who are valuable all-rounders in terms of batting and bowling.
James Anderson, an experienced campaigner, will provide the blistering pace alongside Sonny Baker. Late came Scott Currie with some excellent bowling against the Southern Brave to reveal their actual depth. Noor Ahmad left-arm spin variations and Farhan Ahmed’s off-spin provide some threat in the spin department.
Manchester Originals’ Weaknesses
Gone was their convincing one-ball loss to Southern Brave that exposed their inability to close out tight matches under huge pressure. Over-reliance on Salt and Buttler getting explosive starts means they panic if early wickets fall cheaply.
The middle order is shallow beyond Klaasen and Chapman and might find it hard to negotiate good quality spin bowling. Death bowling is nowhere near the consistency mark at the moment, and neither has Anderson shown he can be effective in such pressure situations. Playing away from their home.
Oval Invincibles vs Manchester Originals Predicted Playing 11
Oval Invincibles:
Will Jacks, Tawanda Muyeye, Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Sam Billings (c & wk), Donovan Ferreira, Tom Curran, Rashid Khan, Jordan Clark, Nathan Sowter, Jason Behrendorff
Manchester Originals:
Philip Salt (c), Matthew Hurst, Jos Buttler (wk), Heinrich Klaasen, Mark Chapman, Lewis Gregory, Scott Currie, Noor Ahmad, Farhan Ahmed, James Anderson, Sonny Baker
Oval Invincibles vs Manchester Originals: Fantasy Teams Selection
OVI vs MNR Small League:
Will Jacks, Sam Curran, Jos Buttler (wk), Heinrich Klaasen, Sam Billings, Tom Curran, Lewis Gregory, Rashid Khan, Scott Currie, Jason Behrendorff, James Anderson
OVI vs MNR Big League:
Philip Salt (c), Tawanda Muyeye, Jordan Cox, Matthew Hurst, Mark Chapman, Donovan Ferreira, Jordan Clark, Nathan Sowter, Noor Ahmad, Farhan Ahmed, Sonny Baker
Get the latest cricket news here and like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.