Winning the toss and choosing to field first in a must-win match, the Originals were put on the back foot by Will Jacks’ aggressive 20-ball 41. With Sam Curran continuing the onslaught throughout the innings, the Oval Invincibles posted a total of 164/8 in 100 balls.
In the chase, Matthew Hurst and Phil Salt combined for an 89-run opening partnership, setting up the middle and lower order for the task ahead. However, an exceptional catch from Sam Curran near the end of the match kept the contest in suspense.
After hitting a six off Adam Zampa in the 17th over, Paul Walter aimed for a big shot on a fuller, flighted delivery outside the off-stump. The left-hander tried to strike against the turn but hit the ball into the wind, causing it to slow down and drift towards Sam Curran at the deep mid-wicket boundary.
Judging the ball perfectly, Sam made a challenging catch by leaping, tossing the ball in the air while keeping one foot just inside the boundary, and then re-entering the field to secure the catch.
Nooo, not Tall Paul 😧
— The Hundred (@thehundred) August 6, 2024
Sam Curran with a safe pair of hands!#TheHundred | #RoadToTheEliminator pic.twitter.com/aKDcZG4pWC
Suryakumar Yadav of India had performed a similarly impressive catch during the T20 World Cup 2024, and Sam Curran’s brilliant effort brought those memorable moments to mind for many on Twitter.